Denpasar, Indonesia: Thousands of tourists were stranded Friday as Bali shuttered its international airport following a volcanic eruption on the Indonesian resort island that shot a thick plume of ash and smoke thousands of metres into the sky, officials said.
The early morning closure of Ngurah Rai airport sparked the cancellation of nearly 280 flights to and from the tropical paradise with some 15,700 passengers affected, according to revised figures from an airport spokesman.
The initial numbers given were nearly 450 flights cancelled and 75,000 travellers affected. The spokesman did not give a reason for the dramatic revision.
A striking orange-red glow could be seen at the top of Mount Agung's crater after it shot smoke and ash some 2,000 metres (6,500 feet) into the sky Thursday evening.
The airport was closed early Friday after a pilot flying overhead detected traces of volcanic ash as high as 23,000 feet.
Ash is dangerous for planes as it makes runways slippery and can be sucked into their engines.
Bali's main international gateway will be closed until at least Friday evening, according to officials, who added that two other domestic airports were also shut.
The fresh activity threatens to create travel chaos after an Agung eruption in November stranded thousands and pounded Bali's lucrative tourism industry and wider economy.
Tens of thousands of locals fled to evacuation centres after last year's eruption.
The volcano is about 75 kilometres from Bali's tourist hub in Kuta.
Australian visitor Rod Bird came early to the airport only to be told his flight back to Perth had been cancelled for the second time.
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