Etna erupts, flights in Catania suspended
The aviation alert level has been raised to red after Mount Etna in Sicily began spewing lava and ash, leading to the suspension of incoming flights to Catania.
12punto
Mount Etna on the Italian island of Sicily has erupted violently once again. As lava and ash emissions increase at Etna, which is considered one of the world's most active volcanoes, the aviation alert in the region has been raised to the red level due to the risk posed by volcanic ash to flight safety.
Activity at the volcano began at the Voragine summit crater and quickly turned into powerful lava eruptions. Volcanic activity near the city of Catania intensified on the evening of August 6; lava fountains that continued throughout the night persisted into August 7.
The dense ash cloud formed during the explosions moved in a southeasterly direction. Ashfall was observed in the towns of Ragalna and Adrano around Etna. It was reported that a new eruptive vent formed at an altitude of approximately 2,750 meters, and the lava emerging from it created a new flow in the Valle del Leone area.
FLIGHT DISRUPTIONS OCCURRED
Following the closure of the airspace containing the ash cloud, flights arriving at Catania International Airport were temporarily suspended. In a statement from the airport, it was announced that the relevant airspace was closed to flights due to Etna's active operations and the volcanic ash spreading into the atmosphere.
According to the statement, while flights landing in Catania were halted until 12:00 local time, it was noted that departures of aircraft already at the airport were continuing as normal. Some flights were reported to have been diverted to other airports in the region.
Operations at Catania International Airport, which serves the eastern part of Sicily, one of Italy's most important tourism centers, were directly affected by the activity at the volcano. Dense smoke and ash clouds rising from the summit were also visible in the live camera footage from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, which monitors Etna.