KUCHING: Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Kuching International Airport (LTAK) today as all flights from Sarawak to Kuala Lumpur were cancelled.
The cancellations were triggered by the eruption of Mount Ruang, Indonesia.
The eruption, caused by an earthquake, spewed dense ash clouds deemed hazardous for air travel, as reported by Buletin TV3.
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) was forced to cancel eight flights from various Sarawak airports, including Kuching, Miri and Bintulu, to Kuala Lumpur this morning.
ALSO READ: Malaysia Airlines cancels flights due to Mount Ruang eruption
Low-cost carrier AirAsia also cancelled 16 flights between Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur but offered passengers a one-time change to any new travel date within 30 days at no extra cost, subject to seat availability.
The disruptions extended beyond Sarawak, with MAS also cancelling 19 flights between Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Sabah, affecting passengers at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) as well.
Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) CEO Datuk Captain Norazman Mahmud said the volcanic ash clouds posed severe risks to aircraft safety, impacting multiple air routes and airports in the region.
Mount Ruang, located on Ruang Island, is about 100 km from Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi. The stratovolcano, first erupted at 9:45 pm on April 16, erupted four more times yesterday.
READ MORE: Indonesia issues tsunami warning after more eruptions from Mount Ruang
