A new eruption at Mount Etna on Saturday sent volcanic ash into the atmosphere, prompting the suspension of arrivals at nearby Catania Airport in Sicily.
The airport said the section of airspace affected by the ash cloud had been closed, disrupting flights to one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations.
Arrivals temporarily suspended
“Due to Mount Etna’s eruptive activity and the resulting release of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the airspace corresponding to the cloud, Sector C1, has been closed,” Catania Airport said in a statement.
All arrivals were suspended until 12:00 local time, or 10:00 GMT. Departures involving aircraft already at the airport continued as normal.
A plume of smoke could be seen rising from the volcano’s summit in footage captured by a webcam operated by Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, which monitors Etna’s activity.
Europe’s highest active volcano
Standing at 3,324 metres, Mount Etna is Europe’s highest active volcano and has experienced frequent eruptions over the past 500,000 years.
Around 12 million passengers used Catania International Airport in 2024. The airport serves eastern Sicily, one of Italy’s most popular tourist regions.
Source: CNA.
