Indonesia volcano eruption leaves 270,000 stranded as airports extend closure

What the report says

Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano, about 150 km from Jakarta in the Sunda Strait, erupted late on Friday and remained active into Monday, according to BBC World News. The eruption sent ash into parts of Java and Sumatra and led airport authorities to extend closures at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and three other airports until 18:00 local time Monday, disrupting more than 2,000 flights and leaving about 270,000 passengers stranded.

The article said volcanic ash was detected near affected airspaces, prompting repeated safety checks and forcing schools in the region to move classes online. Some shipping activity was also interrupted. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said officials could not yet tell when the disruption would end because conditions were changing, while Indonesia’s Geological Agency warned that the chance of more eruptions remained high.

Passengers described crowded terminals, last-minute schedule changes and long waits for refunds or alternative travel. Some travelers left airports by train or looked for other transport options. The story also noted that conservation workers and tourists altered plans after authorities raised alerts near Ujung Kulon National Park.

BBC World News added that authorities have kept a 3 km exclusion zone around the crater and said there is no tsunami warning linked to the latest activity. Anak Krakatau has a destructive history: a 2018 collapse triggered a tsunami that killed hundreds, underscoring why even limited eruptions can cause wide-ranging transport and safety measures.