Catania Airport in Italy's Sicily Island has been closed to flights due to intense ash emission from Mount Etna.
In a statement made on the social media account of Catania Airport operator SAC, it was reported that all landings and take-offs at the airport were halted until 16:00 local time due to volcanic activity at Mount Etna. The suspension of flights at the airport, which is Italy's fifth busiest hub in terms of passenger traffic, has left thousands of passengers stranded in the middle of the tourism season.
While eruptions at Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano, frequently disrupt air travel in the region, experts noted that the ash emissions during this period have reached an unusually high intensity. Airport officials stated that cleaning operations are continuing uninterrupted to clear the runways of ash and restore flight safety.
