Flights serving the city of Catania on the eastern side of the Italian island of Sicily were canceled due to a new eruption of Mount Etna Sunday (August 13).
Local authorities said the volcano spewed out lava and ash high over Sicily. This meant flights to and from Catania, a popular tourist destination for its proximity to the sea due to the volcano, would remain suspended until 06:00 local time (04:00 UTC) Tuesday (August 15), the city's airport operator said in a statement.
Typically, flights to the island are frequently high during the summer months.
Flights Diverted
Meanwhile, incoming flights were diverted to other airports on Sicily Monday (August 14).
Catania Mayor Enrico Trantino banned the use of motorcycles and bicycles in the city for the next 48 hours because many streets were covered in ash. He also ordered cars to drive no faster than 30 kph due to the skiddy conditions.
The latest cancellations at Catania airport, which attracts more arrivals than the island's capital, Palermo, came a month after a fire at a terminal building led to weeks of disruptions for passengers, Reuters reported.
The last major eruption of Etna was in 1992, but its latest activity was recorded as recently as 2021.
