Mount Etna's Eruption Causes Catania Airport Chaos

Flights to and from Catania, an eastern Sicilian city, faced significant disruptions due to an eruption from Mount Etna. Though reduced volcanic activity allowed some flights to resume by the evening, the delays added to the travel woes during the busy summer tourist season.

Flights serving the eastern Sicilian city of Catania were halted for much of the day on Tuesday after an eruption from nearby Mount Etna, bringing fresh travel woe during the peak summer tourist season.

Reduced volcanic activity meant that departures were able to resume from 6 p.m. (1600 GMT), with some arrivals to be allowed two hours later and the airport due to be fully operational by 10 p.m., the airport operator said on X. Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes, has seen intense activity in recent days, spewing hot ash and lava. Some of the ash had drifted on to runways and aircraft.

The airport had already been closed earlier this month due to ash in the sky. It acts as a hub for the east of Sicily and attracts more arrivals than the capital Palermo. The airline operator had earlier warned that the suspension of flights on Tuesday would cause cancellations or the rerouting of traffic to other airports.

(With inputs from agencies.)