An Air India flight from Delhi to Bali had to return mid-air on Wednesday due to a volcanic eruption near Bali’s airport. The eruption disrupted several international flights and caused major delays in travel to the Indonesian island.Air India said that flight AI2145, which was flying on June 18, was asked to turn back after reports confirmed volcanic activity close to Bali. The plane returned to Delhi safely, and no issues were reported during landing. The airline provided hotel stays for passengers and offered either full refunds or free rebooking.The volcanic eruption came from Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province. On Tuesday, the volcano shot a thick ash cloud about 11 kilometres high. More ash eruptions followed the next morning, reaching up to one kilometre into the sky. As a result, Indonesia’s volcanology agency raised the alert level to the highest possible.The eruption affected flight operations in several countries. Bali’s international airport reported many cancelled arrivals from India, Singapore, and Australia. Singapore Airlines cancelled four flights between Denpasar and Singapore, and Scoot also suspended flights to Bali and Lombok.Australia’s budget airline JetStar cancelled multiple morning flights to Bali. The airline warned that more delays could happen, but said that weather forecasts showed the ash conditions might get better by the end of the day.Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport in Maumere was also closed and will remain shut through Thursday, according to AirNav, Indonesia’s air traffic authority.Local authorities quickly responded to the eruption. People from two nearby villages were evacuated, and heavy ash covered roads and houses. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. The same volcano had erupted previously in May.Indonesia, which sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, often faces earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because of its position along active tectonic plates.
