The ash cloud from Chilean volcano Puyehue returned Tuesday to Australian airspace, causing cancelation of several flights and immobilized on the ground thousands of passengers.
“The ash cloud is thicker and bigger than the one that disrupted air traffic last week”, announced Airservices Australia, adding that the cloud is at 6 to 13 km altitude.
Australian company Qantas has suspended flights to Adelaide (south), Canberra (south) and, starting at 05:00 GMT, to Sydney. Some international flights may be canceled later.
Other companies have suspended some flights as well (Jetstar, Virgin Australia), while Tiger Airways immobilized grounded all the planes at least until 04:00 GMT.
Last week, air traffic was disrupted in Australia and New Zealand because of the ash cloud. It made a tour of the Earth and came back over Australia.
According to experts, the cloud is clearly visible on satellite images and currently evolving at an altitude at which planes usually fly.
“It’s the same cloud that circled the world. It remained thick and a flight risk”, said a spokesman for the Center for advice on volcanic ash in Darwin (north).
Puyehue volcano eruption started on June 4, after half a century, but its activity decreased in the past several days.