NEW DELHI, India, June 18: An Air India flight bound for Bali from Delhi was forced to return midair on Wednesday following a volcanic eruption in Indonesia's archipelago, near the destination airport.

The airline confirmed that flight AI2145, operating from Delhi to Bali on June 18, was advised to return as a safety precaution due to reports of volcanic activity close to Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport. “In the interest of passenger safety, the flight was directed to return to Delhi,” an Air India official stated.

The aircraft landed safely at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, and all passengers were disembarked without incident. The airline extended an apology for the inconvenience and said hotel accommodations were arranged for affected passengers. Additionally, Air India offered full refunds or complimentary rescheduling to those who chose to cancel or defer their travel plans.

The volcanic eruption was attributed to Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, located on the island of Flores. The 1,584-metre volcano erupted on Tuesday, sending a plume of ash 10 kilometers into the sky. As a result, multiple airlines cancelled flights to and from Bali, including Jetstar, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand, Tigerair Singapore, and Juneyao Airlines.

According to airport authorities and Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, operations at Bali’s airport were disrupted due to the ash cloud, leading to dozens of flight cancellations.

Meanwhile, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reported that 83 wide-body Air India flights were cancelled between June 12 and 17, including 66 Boeing 787 services, though those cancellations were unrelated to the Bali incident.

The disruption underscores the vulnerability of regional air travel to natural events, particularly in the Pacific Ring of Fire, which includes Indonesia and is prone to frequent seismic and volcanic activity.