Icelandic Volcano Erupts, Ash Plume Forces International Flights to Divert - Bloomberg

Icelandic Volcano Erupts, Ash Plume Forces International Flights to Divert - Bloomberg: "A volcanic eruption under Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajokull, forced the closure of the main international airport in Iceland, the second disruption in 13 months to the island nation’s air traffic.

The eruption sent an ash plume more than 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) into the air, causing delays today of some Scandinavian trans-Atlantic flights. “We expect the ash cloud to enter Norwegian airspace over the course of the night,” said Jens Petter Duestad, chief of control centers for Norwegian airport operator Avinor.

Iceland’s Keflavik International Airport was shut down this morning amid fears that the ash plume might damage jet engines. The halt grounded 11 airplanes in Iceland, affecting about 2,000 passengers. Another 13 airplanes will be unable to land in the country.

An eruption began at about 6 p.m. yesterday in a Grimsvotn Lake crater underneath Vatnajokull, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southeast of Reykjavik. The volcano is the most active in Iceland and its last eruption ended in 2004."