Flights at Catania airport in Sicily were once again halted on Wednesday due to new ash emissions from Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano. This led to an extension of airspace restrictions, causing disruptions to travel during the busy summer holiday season. The impact of the eruption extended beyond Sicily, with flight cancellations and significant delays reported in Malta as volcanic ash drifted south across the Mediterranean.
Mount Etna frequently disrupts operations at Catania airport, the main gateway to Sicily and the fifth busiest airport in Italy in terms of passenger traffic. Recent volcanic activities have had a significant impact on travelers. Images captured the lava flow and smoke rising from the crater during eruptions on July 5 and 6, respectively.
Satellite imagery displayed the smoke spreading from Mount Etna, while a drone view showed lava flowing down a slope during an eruption. Travel disruptions have affected eastern Sicily since last week when volcanic activity intensified and ash spread across the region, leading to stranded passengers at Catania airport due to an ash cloud from Etna.
Although conditions seemed to be improving on Wednesday, Malta International Airport continued to caution passengers about potential disruptions. The prolonged restrictions at Catania have also increased pressure on other airports in Sicily. Palermo Mayor Roberto Lagalla mentioned that Palermo’s airport had accommodated 190 flights originally meant for Catania in recent days. Comiso airport, a smaller facility south of Catania, had to suspend flights on Tuesday evening due to Etna’s ash but has since resumed full operations to manage the influx of tourist season traffic.