The ongoing lava flow from Mount Etna in southern Italy, which began on February 8, has caused disruptions at Catania Airport, with delays in both arrivals and departures.
In a statement released by the SAC company, which manages Catania International Vincenzo Bellini Airport, it was reported that due to ongoing volcanic eruptions and ash emissions from the volcano, the airspace southwest of Etna has been closed to flights until 3:00 PM local time.
The statement also clarified that there are no current restrictions on outbound flights from Catania, but passengers were advised not to arrive at the airport without checking the status of their flights.
According to Italian news channel Rainews24, the intense volcanic activity at Mount Etna has particularly impacted air traffic over the past week, with 32 flights redirected to other airports in the last 24 hours.
Airlines such as Lufthansa and EasyJet have also canceled some flights to Catania. Additionally, volcanic ash has been falling on nearby settlements due to Etna's heavy ash eruptions.
Over the past eight days, various volcanic activities, including lava flows and eruptions of ash and lava from the "New Mouth" and "Southeast" craters, have been observed at Mount Etna.
As the highest active volcano in continental Europe, Etna last experienced significant ash and lava eruptions in the summer of 2024.
