Long-dormant Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia erupts, sending a massive ash plume across Asia. DGCA issues urgent safety alert as air travel grinds to a halt in India, with the cloud now heading towards China.
Hayli Gubbi Volcano Eruption Flight Cancellations India
The global aviation sector was abruptly placed on high alert following the explosive eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s remote Afar region. In an event that specialists confirm is the first activity in nearly 10,000 to 12,000 years, the long-dormant shield volcano spewed a colossal ash plume reaching a staggering altitude of up to 14 kilometres (45,000 feet)—the prime cruising height for long-haul international flights. The resulting volcanic ash cloud, driven by strong high-level winds, successfully traversed thousands of kilometres across the Red Sea, the Arabian Peninsula (including Yemen and Oman), and ultimately swept over the Indian subcontinent, causing widespread air travel disruption.
This transcontinental drift of fine, abrasive volcanic particles immediately triggered a crisis for airlines and aviation regulators across Western and South Asia. In India, the situation became critical as the plume entered Indian airspace over Gujarat and subsequently spread eastward across key regions including Rajasthan, Delhi-NCR, Haryana, and Punjab. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the nation’s aviation watchdog, responded with an urgent operational advisory to all Indian airlines and airports, mandating strict avoidance of the affected airspace segments and flight altitudes.
