Catania Airport Grounds Flights Due to Volcanic Ash from Mount Etna

Flights at Catania International Airport in Sicily were suspended on Monday due to volcanic ash released from near Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano. The airport authorities shared arrivals and departures would be paused until 22:00 (20:00 GMT) on Tuesday.

Ongoing Activity Etna Prompted Ingv

Ongoing activity at Etna prompted the INGV Etneo Observatory to issue a red aviation alert on Monday. In a statement on its website on Tuesday. Catania - Italy's fifth-busiest airport - also advised passengers due to fly from Catania to check with their airline for updates before travelling to the airport.

Catania International Airport has been closed for almost a week during the peak summer season last month because of volcanic activity. There have been calls for the airport to shut and other facilities in Sicily to be expanded because of its proximity to Etna.

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Volcano Which Stands 3324 Metres

The volcano, which stands at 3,324 metres (10,906ft), is about 40km (25 miles) away from the airport. Despite air traffic disruption, August's eruption drew large crowds of onlookers to Etna's lava flows. About 1.5 million people visit Etna every year.

Airport authorities shared arrivals and departures would be paused until 22:00 (20:00 GMT) on Tuesday. The INGV Etneo Observatory released a red aviation alert on Monday, prompting the suspension of flights.

Catania International Airport advised passengers due to fly from Catania to check with their airline for updates before travelling to the airport. The airport's closure is the second time in recent months that it has halted flights due to emissions from Etna.

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There have been calls for the airport to shut and other facilities in Sicily to be expanded because of its proximity to Etna. The volcano, which stands at 3,324 metres (10,906ft), is about 40km (25 miles) away from the airport.

Flights have been suspended from Catania International Airport due to volcanic ash released from near Mount Etna. Passengers are advised to check with their airline for updates before travelling to the airport.

The suspension of flights is the second time in recent months that Catania International Airport has halted flights due to emissions from Etna. The volcano, which stands at 3,324 metres (10,906ft), is about 40km (25 miles) away from the airport.