Ash cloud hits Turkey, airspace closed

Massive ash clouds from a volcanic eruption in Iceland have reached Turkey, forcing the shutdown of airspace over three provinces in the country's north, the air authority says.

"The volcanic ash clouds have begun affecting the airspace of our country," the Directorate of Civil Aviation said in a statement on its website on Sunday. Airspace at an altitude between 20,000 and 35,000 feet over the Black Sea provinces of Zonguldak, Sinop and Samsun was closed at 1330 GMT (2330 AEST) on Sunday until 0900 GMT (1900 AEST) on Monday, it said.

From 0900 GMT Monday, the ash was likely to also affect airspace over Istanbul, Turkey's largest city and the hub of its domestic and international air traffic, directorate head Ali Ariduru told Anatolia news agency.

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