Flights cancelled as Ethiopia volcanic ash plumes drift towards India

Thick ash clouds from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano drifted across the Arabian Peninsula on Monday in the direction of India.

The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre says it has now spread over Yemen, Oman, India and northern Pakistan, disrupting air traffic in the region.

In India, several flights have been cancelled, delayed, or rerouted because of the ash, with the country's aviation regulator asking airlines to "strictly avoid" affected areas.

The cloud is now moving towards Bangladesh and China.

Air India said it was making precautionary checks on aircraft that had flown over some locations after the eruption, following a directive from the aviation regulator.

Volcanic ash is a cloud of tiny, abrasive particles that can damage aircraft engines and reduce visibility, making it dangerous for flight operations.

The Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted on Sunday for the first time in nearly 12,000 years sending ash plumes up to 14 kilometres high.