A massive ash cloud has hung over Europe for the third day, and many airports have closed and cancelled flights; some airports are open briefly Saturday and many may not re-open until at least Sunday, the BBC reported early Saturday morning. The ash cloud is moving and changes its shape often and scheduling the opening of airports has been difficult.
Wednesday, a volcanic eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland created a massive ash cloud. The volcano occurred below the glacial ice in Iceland and the cold water chilled the lava very quickly and created small pieces of glass that were carried up into the ash cloud.
It is dangerous for an engine of an airplane to fly near the ash because the small pieces of glass may cause engine failure. As a result, airports are closed and over 16,000 flights in Europe have been cancelled. Travelers have been stranded on six continents around the world.
To see a list of airports affected and when they may re-open, click here.
To see photos of the massive Iceland ash cloud, click here.
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