Italy’s Catania Airport suspends flights until 4pm as Mount Etna sends ash cloud 4km high
Italy’s Catania Airport has suspended all incoming flights until 4pm local time after renewed activity from Mount Etna sent volcanic ash several kilometres into the atmosphere. The airport operator said the suspension was imposed because of the release of volcanic ash, with the eruption activity affecting airspace around the Sicilian airport. Earlier restrictions had reduced the airport’s…
Volcanic activity at Mount Etna has forced Italy's Catania Airport to halt all incoming flights until 4pm local time. The eruption has released a towering plume of ash several kilometres into the sky, threatening to disrupt air travel in the region. The airport operator cited the ash cloud as the reason for suspending operations, reducing the airport's capacity from 12 landings per hour to just four.
Earlier, restrictions had already slashed the airport's operational capacity, with only 10 flights diverted before the complete suspension took effect. Alongside the volcanic ash, a powerful storm has added to the challenging weather conditions in the area. At least 10 flights have already been diverted, with five heading to Palermo, three to Trapani, and two to Comiso.
One Volotea flight managed to take off from Comiso instead of Catania. The airport's Operational Coordination Unit has closed sector C1 of the airspace and imposed a complete halt on landings and take-offs, while a red VONA warning remains in force, signaling the highest level of aviation alert. Passengers are urged to verify their flight status with their respective airlines before attempting to reach the airport.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
