Flights were halted at Catania airport in Sicily once again on Wednesday due to fresh ash emissions from Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest and most active volcano. This led to an extension of airspace restrictions, causing travel disruptions during the peak summer vacation period. The impact of the recent eruption was not limited to Sicily, as neighboring Malta experienced flight cancellations and significant delays as volcanic ash drifted south across the Mediterranean.
Mount Etna frequently disrupts operations at Catania airport, which serves as Sicily’s primary gateway and is the fifth busiest airport in Italy based on passenger traffic. Recent volcanic activities have caused inconvenience for travelers, with lava flows and smoke seen rising from the crater during the eruptions on July 5 and 6.
Satellite imagery captured the spread of smoke from Mount Etna on Tuesday, while a drone view showed the lava flowing down a slope during the eruption. Travel disruptions have been ongoing in eastern Sicily since last week, when ash from renewed volcanic activity started affecting the region due to changing wind patterns. Stranded passengers were seen waiting at the terminal after Catania airport closure on Monday.
Although conditions seemed to improve on Wednesday, Malta International Airport continued to caution passengers about possible disruptions. The prolonged restrictions at Catania have led to increased pressure on other airports in Sicily. Palermo Mayor Roberto Lagalla mentioned that Palermo’s airport had taken on 190 flights that were originally scheduled for Catania in recent days. Comiso airport, a smaller facility south of Catania, which had been handling tourist traffic, resumed full operations after suspending flights on Tuesday due to ash from Mount Etna.