South America: Volcanic ash cloud triggers major flight disruptions
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Pastor Dale Morgan
Jun 9, 2011, 9:24:21 PM6/9/11
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South America: Volcanic ash cloud triggers major flight disruptions
* From correspondents in Buenos Aires
* From: AFP
* June 10, 2011 8:45AM
THE vast ash cloud spewing from Chile's Puyehue volcano caused major disruption to South American air travel today, grounding hundreds of flights and upsetting regional diplomacy.
All flights in and out of the Argentine capital were halted as well as most of those arriving or departing the Uruguayan capital Montevideo, forcing Uruguay's President Jose Mujica to postpone a Buenos Aires meeting with his Argentine counterpart.
As the travel misery intensified, organisers were also forced to postpone tomorrow's first annual meeting in Buenos Aires of finance ministers from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) regional bloc. No new date was set.
"Humans make plans, but God has the final word," President Mujica said on his weekly radio program.
The volcano, which rumbled to life on Saturday for the first time since 1960, is high in the Andes mountains 870 kilometers south of the Chilean capital Santiago, near the border with Argentina.
North-easterly winds have spread the ash across much of southern Argentina - threatening to hurt tourism in the mountains at the start of the winter ski season - as well as into Uruguay and southern Brazil.
Chilean volcano monitors said Puyehue was belching ash columns that reached nearly 7.5km into the sky.
A Buenos Aires aviation official said the ash was some 9000m above the Argentine capital and pointed out that planes fly on average at 10,000m.
Volcanic ash "is very dangerous, very abrasive for plane engines and could result in very serious complications," warned Argentine Transportation Secretary Juan Pablo Schiavi.
At Jorge Newbery International Airport in Buenos Aires, some holidaymakers were clearly beginning to despair while others waited anxiously for loved ones.
"I'm waiting for my mother to arrive from Chile. She's 90 years old and probably alone in Santiago," said Ana Adelardi.
One man, standing forlornly next to his wife and their baggage, said, "We're going to Salta (northern Argentina) for our first vacation. We've already paid for everything and our time is running out."
The first flight cancellations came on Tuesday, but the resumption of many routes on Wednesday had raised hopes that things would get back to normal. Officials today did not appear all that hopeful.
Most air terminals in central and southern Argentina will remain closed "until there is a guarantee that they can operate safely," read a government statement.
A fine coat of ash blanketed much of the Argentine capital today.
Authorities in Montevideo warned that visibility would be "significantly reduced" at least until early tomorrow.
South America: Volcanic ash cloud triggers major flight disruptions
* From correspondents in Buenos Aires
* From: AFP
* June 10, 2011 8:45AM
THE vast ash cloud spewing from Chile's Puyehue volcano caused major disruption to South American air travel today, grounding hundreds of flights and upsetting regional diplomacy.
All flights in and out of the Argentine capital were halted as well as most of those arriving or departing the Uruguayan capital Montevideo, forcing Uruguay's President Jose Mujica to postpone a Buenos Aires meeting with his Argentine counterpart.
As the travel misery intensified, organisers were also forced to postpone tomorrow's first annual meeting in Buenos Aires of finance ministers from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) regional bloc. No new date was set.
"Humans make plans, but God has the final word," President Mujica said on his weekly radio program.
The volcano, which rumbled to life on Saturday for the first time since 1960, is high in the Andes mountains 870 kilometers south of the Chilean capital Santiago, near the border with Argentina.
North-easterly winds have spread the ash across much of southern Argentina - threatening to hurt tourism in the mountains at the start of the winter ski season - as well as into Uruguay and southern Brazil.
Chilean volcano monitors said Puyehue was belching ash columns that reached nearly 7.5km into the sky.
A Buenos Aires aviation official said the ash was some 9000m above the Argentine capital and pointed out that planes fly on average at 10,000m.
Volcanic ash "is very dangerous, very abrasive for plane engines and could result in very serious complications," warned Argentine Transportation Secretary Juan Pablo Schiavi.
At Jorge Newbery International Airport in Buenos Aires, some holidaymakers were clearly beginning to despair while others waited anxiously for loved ones.
"I'm waiting for my mother to arrive from Chile. She's 90 years old and probably alone in Santiago," said Ana Adelardi.
One man, standing forlornly next to his wife and their baggage, said, "We're going to Salta (northern Argentina) for our first vacation. We've already paid for everything and our time is running out."
The first flight cancellations came on Tuesday, but the resumption of many routes on Wednesday had raised hopes that things would get back to normal. Officials today did not appear all that hopeful.
Most air terminals in central and southern Argentina will remain closed "until there is a guarantee that they can operate safely," read a government statement.
A fine coat of ash blanketed much of the Argentine capital today.
Authorities in Montevideo warned that visibility would be "significantly reduced" at least until early tomorrow.
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