Etna eruption sends ash into skies, disrupting flights at Catania airport

Rome -- Mount Etna has entered another intense eruptive phase, with explosive activity at the Voragine crater sending large quantities of volcanic ash into the atmosphere and disrupting air traffic in eastern Sicily.

The ash cloud has prompted restrictions in the airspace around the volcano, forcing Catania airport to suspend incoming flights. The suspension, initially scheduled to remain in place until 5pm, was later extended until 9pm as the volcanic activity continued. Comiso airport, in south eastern Sicily, remains operational.

The Etna Observatory of Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) reported continuing explosive activity at the Voragine crater, accompanied by abundant ash emissions and the fallout of volcanic bombs in the summit area. Winds are carrying the ash towards the south south west.

The volcano remains in an active eruptive phase, with vents at around 2,750 metres and 2,360 metres above sea level continuing to feed several lava flows. The flows have formed complex lava fields along the volcano’s slopes, with the most advanced fronts reaching approximately 1,500 metres above sea level near the base of the northern wall of the Valle del Bove, in the Monte Rinatu area.

Volcanic tremor also remains elevated, although it is currently in the lower part of the range classified as high. According to the INGV, the centre of the tremor sources briefly shifted towards the area between the Voragine and North East craters before returning to the Voragine area at around 3,000 metres above sea level.

The continuing ash emissions have caused significant disruption at Catania airport, with the airport operator SAC advising passengers to check the status of their flights directly with their airlines before travelling to the airport.

The aviation warning issued by the INGV’s Etna Observatory remains at its highest level, red, reflecting the continuing risk posed by the volcanic ash to aircraft operating in the area.

The disruption has already affected a significant proportion of Sicily’s air traffic in recent days. According to figures released by Palermo mayor Roberto Lagalla, around 100 flights were diverted from Catania to Palermo’s Falcone Borsellino airport, while a further 90 flights originally scheduled to depart from Catania were rescheduled to operate from Palermo.

The latest eruption once again highlights the impact of Etna’s activity on transport across Sicily, where volcanic ash can rapidly affect aviation operations even when the most intense activity remains concentrated around the summit.

PS