Volcanic Eruption in Iceland Disrupts Air Travel in UK and Europe

A volcanic eruption in southwest Iceland is sending a plume of ash across the North Atlantic as far as the United Kingdom, more than 620 miles away. The seven-mile-high plume of ash, which is traveling west to east, forced the cancellation or delay of 840 flights at London’s Heathrow Airport and affected several hundred thousand passengers traveling to and from numerous airports in the UK. Flights between northern Europe and the U.S. also were affected since the column of ash was drifting through a busy North Atlantic air corridor. Hundreds of people were evacuated in Iceland as ash fell across thousands of acres in the island nation. The volcano, located under the Eyjafjallajokull ice glacier, began erupting early on April 14. In this April 15 color-coded satellite image, released by Norway’s Met Office, the plume, in black, can be seen drifting across the North Atlantic and Scotland.