Air NZ funeral flight to Tonga cancelled as Hunga eruption continues

Air New Zealand cancelled its flight from Auckland to Tonga late this morning due to concern over volcanic ash clouds close to Tongatapu, following a high level ash eruption at Hunga Tonga- Hunga Ha'apai detected over the last two days. Tonga's head geologist Taaniela Kula, confirmed this afternoon that an ash eruption started at about 9:35am yesterday, Monday, 20 Dec. and continued to 2:00am today, from Hunga Ha'apai, located about 65km from Nuku'alofa. A gaseous eruption is continuing intermittently.