The EU’s civil aviation authorities, including Malta’s has been put on a state of alert by the European Commission as a new volcanic eruption in Iceland might disrupt European aviation in the coming days.

According to the European Commission, “there is an evolving situation with respect to Grimsvötn volcano and a possibility of volcanic ash affecting European airspace, starting with northwestern Europe, including the UK and Ireland.”

“Already, the EACCC (European Aviation Crisis Coordination Cell) has been activated bringing together all the major actors and the first formal meeting took place this morning,” the Commission said in a statement a short while ago.

Although it is too early to predict a repeat of last years’ complete six-day halt of European airspace due to an eruption of another Icelandic volcano, the Commission is not taking any chances and is trying to make sure that what happened last year will not be repeated even though the new volcano is bigger than the one which erupted last year and is more active.

Last year's ash cloud crisis meant that  some 16,000 tourists could not make it to Malta. Air Malta alone was forced to cancel over 200 flights to its destinations North of Malpensa.

Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas said that the situation is evolving by the hour.

“What is clear however is that, one year on, lessons have been learnt and we are in a much better position to manage the challenge of ash affecting Europe. As the situation evolves, this may still prove to be a very challenging week for passengers and the aviation sector, but there are new tools in place that allow for a more precise risk assessment to avoid, in so far as possible, closure of European airspace whilst ensuring safety”.

The main airport in Iceland has already been close due to the ash cloud.