Iceland-bound U.S. flight diverted, main airport closed due to volcano eruption

REYKJAVIK (BNO NEWS) — Keflavík International Airport, Iceland’s main airport, was closed after a volcano erupted in the southern part of the country, aviation officials said on early Sunday.

Iceland’s national air traffic control center said airspace in a radius of 120 nautical miles had been closed to all traffic, which includes Keflavík International Airport. “We don’t know how high the ash plume is going because its dark,” an official said.

Icelandair flight 688, which took off from Orlando Sanford International Airport in Florida around 7.15 p.m. EDT on Saturday was diverted to Boston Logan International Airport. It was initially expected to land at Keflavík International Airport at 6.10 a.m. local time on Sunday.

Icelandair flight 680, which departed Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington at 4.37 p.m. PDT on Saturday, was also diverted to Boston Logan International Airport as it flew over Canada. It was still en-route to Boston at 12.07 p.m. EDT on Sunday.

Icelandair flight 630 from Boston Logan International Airport was scheduled to depart at 9.39 p.m. EDT on Saturday, but never took off.

It is not clear how long the restrictions may last.

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