Flights were halted at Catania airport in Sicily on Wednesday due to fresh ash emissions from Mount Etna, the highest and most active volcano in Europe. This led to airspace restrictions being extended, causing disruptions during the busy summer holiday season. The impact of the eruption was felt beyond Sicily, with flight cancellations and delays reported in neighboring Malta as volcanic ash drifted south across the Mediterranean.
Mount Etna frequently affects operations at Catania airport, which serves as Sicily’s main gateway and ranks as Italy’s fifth busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic. Recent volcanic activities have significantly impacted travelers, with lava flows and smoke visible from the crater during the eruptions on July 5 and 6.
Satellite imagery captured the smoke spreading from Mount Etna, while drone footage showed lava flowing down a slope during the eruption. Travel disruptions have been ongoing in eastern Sicily since last week when volcanic activity intensified, leading to ash clouds spreading across the region and resulting in stranded passengers at Catania airport.
Although conditions seemed to improve on Wednesday, Malta International Airport continued to caution passengers about potential disruptions. The prolonged restrictions at Catania have put strain on other airports in Sicily, with Palermo’s airport handling a substantial number of flights redirected from Catania. Comiso airport, located south of Catania, resumed full operations after temporarily suspending flights due to ash from Mount Etna.
