New Delhi— An Air India flight from Delhi to Bali was forced to turn back on Wednesday after a massive volcanic eruption disrupted air travel in Indonesia. Flight AI2145 returned safely to Delhi, with all passengers disembarking without incident, the airline confirmed.
The disruption was caused by the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Indonesia’s Flores Island, which led authorities to raise its alert level to the highest on the country’s four-tier scale. The 1,584-meter volcano began spewing ash late Tuesday, prompting flight cancellations and at least one village evacuation.
“In the interest of passenger safety, Air India’s flight AI2145 from Delhi to Bali was advised to return,” said an airline spokesperson. “We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and have made every effort to support passengers, including offering hotel accommodations, full refunds, or complimentary rescheduling.”
The eruption impacted several airlines operating out of Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. Indonesia’s airport authority, Angkasa Pura, confirmed that multiple flights were grounded due to volcanic activity. AirAsia canceled several domestic routes, while Jetstar delayed some afternoon flights in hopes that the ash cloud would dissipate later in the evening.
Bali’s airport website also listed cancellations from Air New Zealand, Singapore’s Tigerair, and China’s Juneyao Airlines.
Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency reported falling volcanic ash across villages near the volcano and confirmed evacuations were underway. Authorities are closely monitoring the ash plume, which is expected to clear by tonight according to forecasts.
Mount Lewotobi is a twin-peaked volcano located in southeastern Flores. The eruption originated from the more active Lewotobi Laki-Laki stratovolcano, situated just over 2 kilometers northwest of its companion peak, Lewotobi Perempuan. (Source: IANS)
