AHY says aviation safety is priority amid Anak Krakatau eruption

Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) has said that aviation safety is the priority following the impact of volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau (GAK) on the Greater Jakarta area.

“Airlines must of course strictly comply with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and fixed procedures that uphold the safety factor. Safety first is a principle that cannot be compromised, and the same applies to airport operators,” AHY said at the Otista Sports Hall in East Jakarta on Sunday.

AHY said the government continues to coordinate with ministries, agencies and relevant stakeholders to respond to the developing situation.

“Today I have been communicating intensively with the Minister of Transport, with the head of BMKG, and of course various other stakeholders related to the current situation,” AHY said.

According to AHY, the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau has caused dust or volcanic ash to spread as far as Jakarta and the surrounding areas.

The situation is a serious concern for the aviation sector because volcanic ash has the potential to endanger flights.

Airport closures, AHY said, are based on the Notice to Airmen/Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) sent by AirNav Indonesia. That information is then cross-checked with monitoring carried out by BMKG.

“That is why as of today a number of major airports have had to be closed,” AHY said.

AHY explained that monitoring results show volcanic ash has spread from the Mount Anak Krakatau area towards the northeast.

A number of airports said to be affected include Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma, Radin Inten II in Lampung, Husein Sastranegara in Bandung, Pondok Cabe in Jakarta, Taufiq Kiemas, and Budiarto Curug in Tangerang.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi is directly monitoring the development of the impact of the Mount Anak Krakatau eruption on flight operations from the monitoring centre at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten.

Dudy said monitoring is carried out through a number of monitor screens displaying the current conditions of volcanic ash distribution and its impact on flight activity at various airports.

“As you have been following, there are several monitor screens that we use to monitor the situation relating to the impact of the Mount Anak Krakatau eruption, particularly with regard to aviation,” the Transport Minister confirmed in Jakarta on Sunday.