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Hillary Clinton's African trip disrupted by volcanic eruption
by Joseph Ernest June 13, 2011
Newscast Media ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia --The risk of an ash cloud from a volcano in Ethiopia prompted US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to cut short her Africa trip a senior US official said.
"There's a volcano. It erupted over the city where our plane was supposed to relocate to. So therefore the plane cannot relocate to that city (Djibouti). The plane needs to leave either way, to do so in an hour and half... with us or without us," he said.
"If it leaves without us, it's unclear when it or another plane could come get us because the ash cloud is moving towards Addis and it could cover the city... for an indeterminate length (of time). Therefore (what we have decided) to do, which the air force is recommending, is to leave."
Earlier on Monday, she addressed the 53-member African Union and met Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. She then cancelled a scheduled media briefing and held meetings with advisers to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir as well as Salva Kiir, president of the soon-to-be independent South.
The Dubbi volcano, in the Southern Red Sea Region, erupted on Sunday, sending plumes of ash 13km (eight miles) into the air. It was its first eruption since 1861 and was preceded by a series of earthquakes.
The ash is expected to reach Saudi Arabia, Jordan and southern Israel, the Israel Meteorological Survey said. Add Comments>>
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