Ash from Icelandic volcano 'may drift over UK'

Ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland could begin to drift across the UK towards the end of the week, forecasters have said.

Aviation officials said there was no effect on UK airspace at present, but they were "monitoring the situation closely".

The Grimsvotn volcano is experiencing its largest eruption in 100 years.

It comes a year after ash from the Eyjafjallajokull eruption reached Europe, closing much of its airspace.

A spokesman for the Met Office, which runs Europe's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, said: "This is a very different situation to last April.

"The weather is much more changeable and there's a lot more uncertainty. There's no risk of the ash moving across the UK in the next day or so.

"But there is a possibility that we'll see some volcanic ash towards the end of the week."

Icelandic air traffic control has created a no-fly zone around the volcano, closed Keflavik airport, the country's main hub, and cancelled all domestic flights.

Eurocontrol, the European air safety organisation, said no impact was expected on European airspace outside Iceland or on transatlantic flights for at least 24 hours.

A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority said: "We're monitoring the situation closely and working with our colleagues at National Air Traffic Services and the Met Office.

"There's no effect on UK airspace at present. We're just waiting to see which way the ash plume moves.
"We should have more of an idea within the next 12 hours or so."