Bulgaria Closes Air Space over Volcanic Ash Cloud

All air traffic over northern Bulgaria was stopped at midnight Saturday, the Transport Ministry and the Air Traffic Directorate report in a press release to the media. Photo by Met Office UK

All air traffic in Bulgaria has been stopped since 09:00 am Sunday morning, the Bulgarian Transport Ministry has announced.

All air traffic over northern Bulgaria was stopped at midnight Saturday, the Transport Ministry and the Air Traffic Directorate report in a press release to the media.

The air space north from the Stara Planina mountains will not be serviced by aircraft on April 18, including the airports in the Black Sea capital Varna and the central town of Gorna Oryahovitsa. This is the space north of the 43rd parallel.

At 09:00 Sunday the Transport Ministry also announced that all air traffic would be stopped until at least 21:15 Sunday evening in the country after the volcanic ash cloud that has been causing traffic chaos all over Europe since Thursday floated steadily south over Bulgaria.

Millions of stranded travellers face further air chaos across Europe Sunday as the volcanic ash from Iceland that has closed most of Europe's airspace continues to spread.

An estimated three-quarters of flights were cancelled on Saturday. About 20 countries closed their airspace - some have extended flight bans into Monday.

Disruption is now said to be greater than that after 9/11 and the volcanic activity shows no sign of abating.