Bali, Singapore routes from Darwin closed amid fears flights around Australia may be affected by massive eruption

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Flights across northern Australia could be affected for days after a volcanic eruption in Indonesia sent a vast ash cloud over the region.

Qantas and Virgin Australia have confirmed all their flights to and from the Northern Territory capital of Darwin have been cancelled after Sangeang Api, a volcano off the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, erupted at least three times since Friday.

Deputy prime minister Warren Truss said the ash cloud was between 6km and 13km in the atmosphere and and could affect flights as far south as Brisbane.

"Depending on wind and other weather conditions, the ash has the potential to affect flights to and from other airports, including Brisbane, during coming days. This is currently being fully assessed," he said.



Airservices Australia, the nation's air navigation authority, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Bureau of Meteorology are all investigating the cloud, Mr Truss said.



"Depending on wind and other weather conditions, the ash has the potential to affect flights to and from other airports, including Brisbane, during coming days. This is currently being fully assessed," he said.



"Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for further information."



Airservices Australia has begun diverting international flights around the ash cloud.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mount Sangeang spewing massive plumes of ash high in the air. Photograph: Sofyan Effendi

Virgin Australia spokeswoman Jacqui Abbott said all Virgin flights to Darwin on Saturday had been cancelled.



"Because of the impact of the volcano, we have cancelled all flights today on our schedule to and from Darwin," she said.



"Our meteorologists are monitoring the situation and are consulting with the [volcanic ash] advisory centre in Darwin and we will renew normal operations as the situation allows."



Mount Sangeang is off the north-east coast of Sumbawa.

Qantas Group spokeswoman Kira Reed said cancellations also affected all Qantas flights to and from Darwin on Saturday and Jetstar's Cairns-Darwin and Darwin-Cairns flights, its Darwin-Adelaide service and its Darwin-Bali, Bali-Darwin, Singapore-Darwin and Darwin-Singapore flights.



The Darwin International Airport website indicated all Saturday flights to and from Darwin had been cancelled.



The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre manager at the Bureau of Meteorology in Darwin, Emile Jansons, said the ash cloud was already affecting Australian air space.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Huge clouds of ash from the Mount Sangeang eruption, as seen from the town of Bima in Indonesia. Photograph: EPA/STR

"It has currently reached the Australian coast,” he said. “It has reached the Kimberley coast [in Western Australia].



"It is spreading east and it may dissipate, so it is not clear how far east it will get.



"It is not yet clear if it will affect the eastern seaboard."



Mr Jansons said volcanic ash could be hazardous to aircraft but the decision whether or not to fly was a safety and economic decision that rested with individual airlines.