UPDATE: Etna eruption forces further closure of Catania airport
The airport at Catania in Sicily, a top Italian tourist destination, has halted all flights after a new eruption at nearby Mount Etna, its operator said Monday.
"Because of an eruption at Etna and falling ash, flights are suspended until 8pm (1800 GMT)," the airport said on its website.
Earlier Monday, it had said departures and arrivals had been halted until just 1pm.
🔴🔴 Causa attività eruttiva dell’Etna e contestuale ricaduta di cenere vulcanica, le operazioni di volo sono sospese fino alle ore 20.
Per info contattare il vettore
Due to Etna’s eruptive activity and fallout of volcanic ash, flight operations are suspended until 08:00 pm
— Aeroporto di Catania (@CTAairport) August 14, 2023
"For information on diverted or cancelled flights, please contact the airlines or check the situation in real time on the airport website www.aeroporto.catania.it and on the airport's Facebook and Twitter profiles," reads a statement.
Airspace sectors C1 and B3 will remain closed, authorities stated, meaning that all arrivals and departures are blocked.
Catania's Mayor Enrico Trantino has also prohibited the use of motorcycles and bicycles for the next 48 hours, "because several areas are covered with a layer of volcanic ash", city hall said on its website.
The ash can quickly become slippery on roads and increase the risk of accidents.
At 3,324 metres (nearly 11,000 feet), Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe and has erupted frequently in the past 500,000 years.
READ ALSO:Â Why are flights to and from Italy so expensive this summer?
Most recently, Catania airport was closed for a day on May 21st due to its eruption.
This latest closure marks yet another inconvenience for passengers travelling to and from Sicily's Catania airport this summer, after a major fire ripped through it on July 16th.
More than two weeks after the blaze, travellers still described a "nightmare" situation, landing the airport's management with widespread criticism for the situation.
Around 10 million passengers last year transited through the airport, which services the eastern part of Sicily.
The Local will continue to provide updates on the airport's latest closure. For real-time information on departures and arrivals, you can check the airport's updates here.
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"Because of an eruption at Etna and falling ash, flights are suspended until 8pm (1800 GMT)," the airport said on its website.
Earlier Monday, it had said departures and arrivals had been halted until just 1pm.
🔴🔴 Causa attività eruttiva dell’Etna e contestuale ricaduta di cenere vulcanica, le operazioni di volo sono sospese fino alle ore 20.
— Aeroporto di Catania (@CTAairport) August 14, 2023
Per info contattare il vettore
Due to Etna’s eruptive activity and fallout of volcanic ash, flight operations are suspended until 08:00 pm
"For information on diverted or cancelled flights, please contact the airlines or check the situation in real time on the airport website www.aeroporto.catania.it and on the airport's Facebook and Twitter profiles," reads a statement.
Airspace sectors C1 and B3 will remain closed, authorities stated, meaning that all arrivals and departures are blocked.
Catania's Mayor Enrico Trantino has also prohibited the use of motorcycles and bicycles for the next 48 hours, "because several areas are covered with a layer of volcanic ash", city hall said on its website.
The ash can quickly become slippery on roads and increase the risk of accidents.
At 3,324 metres (nearly 11,000 feet), Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe and has erupted frequently in the past 500,000 years.
READ ALSO:Â Why are flights to and from Italy so expensive this summer?
Most recently, Catania airport was closed for a day on May 21st due to its eruption.
This latest closure marks yet another inconvenience for passengers travelling to and from Sicily's Catania airport this summer, after a major fire ripped through it on July 16th.
More than two weeks after the blaze, travellers still described a "nightmare" situation, landing the airport's management with widespread criticism for the situation.
Around 10 million passengers last year transited through the airport, which services the eastern part of Sicily.
The Local will continue to provide updates on the airport's latest closure. For real-time information on departures and arrivals, you can check the airport's updates here.
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