Activity involving ash emissions intensified in the morning at Mount Etna on Italy’s island of Sicily. The ash cloud rising from the volcano reached approximately 4 kilometers and moved southward.
A red-code warning was issued for aircraft operating in the area because of the heavy ash. Domestic and international flights at Catania International Airport Vincenzo Bellini were suspended until 16:00 local time, or 17:00 Türkiye time.
Some flights scheduled to travel to Catania were diverted to Palermo. The disruption affected the travel plans of passengers heading to Sicily.
Volcanic activity has increased in recent months
Activity including heavy ash and lava emissions has been observed at Mount Etna, one of Europe’s most active volcanoes, in recent months. Numerous instances of volcanic activity have been recorded at the volcano, particularly this summer.
Rainews24 reported that approximately 700 flights were canceled between August 8 and 11 alone, affecting more than 100,000 passengers.