"We have decided to extend the closure of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport from 07.00 a.m. on Nov 28 until 07.00 a.m. on Nov 29, 2017," Secretary General of Air Transportation Directorate of the Ministry of Transportation Pramintohadi said in a release received here on Tuesday.
The decision was taken considering the Notice to Airmen from the state-run air navigation company, AirNav Indonesia.
Although the paper test result showed that there was no volcanic ash at the airport, the information from SIGMET and MWO of Ujung Pandang showed that volcanic ash from the mount was drifting towards south or southwest, covering the air space above I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Pramintohadi revealed.
The airport has been closed since 7.15 a.m. on Monday due to the mount`s eruption on Saturday.
At least 445 flights have been canceled, affecting the travel plans of some 89 thousand passengers.
The 3,142-meter-high volcano in Indonesia`s tourism resort island has been rumbling since August 2017.
The government has set an exclusion zone within 10-kilometer radius from the mount`s peak.
reporting by Juwita Trisna Rahayu
(t.a059/INE)
EDITED BY INE/A014.
Reporter: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Editor: Suryanto
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