Ash from Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcano has reached the airspace over Northwest India, including Delhi, prompting Indian aviation regulators to issue an urgent safety alert to all airlines. The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia erupted for the first time in approximately 10,000 years, sending a dense plume of ash and sulfur dioxide high into the sky. This ash cloud moved across the Red Sea, entered India over Western Rajasthan (Jodhpur-Jaisalmer region), and reached Delhi around 11 PM on Monday.

Most of the ash is situated at a high altitude, between 25,000 and 45,000 feet. Experts have stated that the health risk on the ground is low, but the ash particles may lead to unusual colors in the sky during Tuesday's sunrise.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an urgent advisory to Indian airlines. Crews have been strictly cautioned to mandatorily avoid flying through any airspace affected by the ash.Flight disruptions have been observed on routes passing through this ash corridor. As a precaution, the IndiGo flight from Kochi to Dubai and the Akasa Air flight from Kochi to Jeddah were cancelled. Similarly, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines' Amsterdam-Delhi flight and its return service were also cancelled.

Airlines such as Air India, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air are closely monitoring the situation and have stated that passenger safety remains their priority. Passengers travelling through the Middle East are advised to check their flight statuses.