Air India, Akasa cancel flights after Ethiopian volcano erupts

Indian airlines Air India and Akasa Air said on Tuesday they were cancelling some flights after ash plumes from a volcanic eruption in Ethiopia disrupted operations.

Air India said it had cancelled 11 flights on Monday and Tuesday to make precautionary checks on aircraft that had flown over some locations after the eruption, following a directive to airlines from India’s aviation regulator.

Smaller peer Akasa said it had scrapped scheduled flights to Middle East destinations such as Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi scheduled during the two days.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation said that only a few flights had been rerouted as a precautionary measure, and that the airports authority had issued a notice to all affected planes.

The ash cloud is moving towards China and is expected to clear Indian skies by 1400 GMT Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a statement.

Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano sent ash plumes up to 14 km (8.7 miles) high after erupting on Sunday for the first time in recorded history, according to media reports.

On Tuesday, the ash had covered parts of Pakistan and northern India, according to tracking website Flightradar24, after crossing Yemen and Oman.

Tejas: Indian fighter jet crashes during Dubai Air Show

An Indian Air Force (IAF) HAL Tejas fighter jet crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show, killing its pilot, according to Indian media reports.

The aircraft went down at approximately 2:10 pm local time while performing a manoeuvre for spectators gathered at Al Maktoum International Airport.

According to Indian media, thick black smoke could be seen rising from the Tejas crash site as stunned visitors — including families, children, and aviation enthusiasts — looked on. Several bystanders captured the dramatic incident on their phones, and videos of the crash quickly circulated online.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the pilot managed to eject before impact, and official details about injuries or damage remain limited.