La Soufrière volcano eruption causes airport closure and flight cancellations in the eastern Caribbean

-

Eruptive activity from the La Soufrière volcano, located north of the island of Saint Vincent in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, continues to disrupt air operations in the eastern Caribbean.

 

The main affected airports are Argyle International Airport in Kingstown, San Vicente, with at least 30 flights canceled since Friday after ash completely covered its facilities, and Grantley Adams International Airport in Bridgetown, located 190 kilometers to the east in Barbados, as a consequence of the wind direction in the upper levels of the atmosphere.

Around 70 flights were canceled at Grantley Adams airport, the main hub in the eastern Caribbean and even more damages are expected considering that it will remain closed at least until 6 a.m. local time on Monday, April 12.

- Advertisement -
Ash plume displacement – National Emergency Management Organization

Caribbean Airlines announced the cancellation of 16 flights to Barbados from Antigua, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Ogle, Kingston, New York and Dominica between Saturday and Sunday.

Foto: prensa Argyle International Airport – San Vicente y las Granadinas

LIAT, another of the main airlines in the region, announced the cancellation until further notice of its flights between Dominica and Barbados, Barbados and Saint Vincent, Saint Vincent and Saint Lucia, and Saint Lucia and Antigua.

Intercaribbean Airways for its part yesterday canceled its flights to Barbados from Dominica and Kingstown, and those this Sunday from Point Salines, Castries and Kingstown. The airline also implemented on its website the option for those passengers who buy tickets to donate money to NGOs that assist people in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Among airlines outside the region, American Airlines has canceled its flights to Bridgetown and also to Saint Lucia as this airport, despite not being closed, experienced the presence of volcanic ash. JetBlue and British Airways also canceled their flights to the capital of Barbados yesterday and today.

On Friday morning an explosive eruption took place that caused the emission of volcanic ash up to more than 29,000 feet high. The process continued during the day, with a second eruption in the afternoon that created an ash plume more than 51,000 feet high, and a third that aggravated the situation. Although there were no serious injuries or deaths, at least 15,000 people had to be evacuated from the red zone.

 

Moment of eruption, as seen from Argyle International Airport.

In statements made to local media, Professor Richard Robertson, who leads the team of scientists monitoring the La Soufriere volcano, said that this eruption will be as or even larger than the last one recorded, which took place in 1979.

Edgardo Gimenez Mazó
Edgardo Gimenez Mazó
Cofundador de Aviacionline.com. Redactor en Aviación Comercial e Infraestructura. Product Manager. Basado en Rosario, Argentina, pero a uno o dos vuelos de cualquier lugar. edgardo@aviacionline.com

DEJA UNA RESPUESTA

Por favor escribí tu comentario
Por favor escribí tu nombre

Latest News

All Nippon Airways introduces Boeing 787-10 on domestic routes

All Nippon Airways (ANA) has introduced the Boeing 787-10 on domestic routes in a high-density configuration. The Japanese airline...

Berlin-Brandenburg Airport to offer 148 destinations for the summer season

For the 2024 summer season, Berlin Brandenburg Airport will serve 148 destinations in 49 countries in Europe, the Middle...

Near-Miss Incident in East African Airspace: 777 and 737 MAX Avert Collision

On the night of Sunday, March 24, at around 00:43 East Africa local time, a near-miss incident occurred in...

Delta celebrates 90 years of operation in Montreal

Delta Air Lines is celebrating its 90th year of operation in Montreal. The airline continues to consolidate its operation...
- Advertisement -

Air Europa Deploys its 787 in Domestic Routes for Easter

Air Europa has announced a significant increase in its capacity for the Easter period. This measure aims to provide...

Binter celebrates its 35th anniversary and could break a new record during Easter Week

The Spanish airline Binter celebrates its 35th anniversary and could set a new record for passengers transported in a...

You May Also LikeCheck It Out!
Recommended For You