Skip to main content

Volcanic ash shuts down Iceland airport

By the CNN Wire Staff
A NASA satellite picture on Thursday shows Icelandic Eyjafjallajokull volcano continuing to emit a dense plume of ash and steam.
A NASA satellite picture on Thursday shows Icelandic Eyjafjallajokull volcano continuing to emit a dense plume of ash and steam.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Volcanic ash forced the closing of Iceland's main airport Friday
  • Officials said they hope to reopen Keflavik International Airport at midnight (8 p.m. ET)
  • Volcanic ash reduces visibility, can lead to engine failure
RELATED TOPICS

(CNN) -- Volcanic ash forced the closing of Iceland's main airport Friday.

Officials said they hope to reopen Keflavik International Airport in Reykjavík at midnight (8 p.m. ET).

Earlier this week, ash from an Icelandic volcano shut down traffic at airports from central Spain to the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, air traffic control authorities said.

The problems began in mid-April, when the volcano beneath the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in southern Iceland erupted and sent a cloud of ash into the atmosphere, disrupting international travel for several days.

Volcanic ash can be a serious hazard to aircraft, reducing visibility, damaging flight controls and ultimately causing jet engines to fail.

Part of complete coverage on
How volcanoes can change the world
The current travel chaos is not the first time an Icelandic volcano has impacted the world, explains a scientist.
Q&A on Icelandic volcano ash plume
Here are some common questions and answers about the ash cloud crisis.
Was air shutdown really necessary?
Aviation safety officials in Europe defend the closure of parts of the continent's airspace for six days.
Iceland's volcano a mouthful to say
However you pronounce it, Eyjafjallajokull is proving difficult for the world's English speakers.