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Jakarta’s main airport and three others have extended their closures until 6 pm on Monday following a volcanic eruption, stranding tens of thousands of passengers.
Mount Anak Krakatau, situated roughly 150 kilometres from Indonesia’s capital, erupted on Saturday, spewing lava and towering plumes of ash.
The transport ministry confirmed that eight airports across the region halted operations over the weekend after ash drifted into their airspace, disrupting hundreds of flights and stranding more than 170,000 travellers.
Airport operator Angkasa Pura announced on social media that at least four hubs, including Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, extended their operational suspensions until 6 pm (1100 GMT) on Monday.
“In connection with the increasing eruption activity of Mount Anak Krakatau, flight operations at several airports have been suspended; passengers are advised to regularly monitor their flight status with the respective airlines,” the operator stated.
The company confirmed that Halim Perdanakusuma, a smaller facility handling both commercial and military flights, also extended its closure.
According to the national geology agency, the likelihood of further eruptive activity remains high through Monday morning.
The volcano has been sporadically active since emerging from the sea early last century inside the massive caldera formed by the cataclysmic 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatau.
In 2018, a partial collapse of Anak Krakatau triggered a devastating tsunami that killed 429 people and displaced thousands.