Ash From Sicily's Mount Etna Suspends Arrivals at Airport
Ash from the eruption forced red aviation alerts and diverted flights to other Sicilian airports, disrupting travel for thousands of passengers, officials said.
- On Friday, August 7, 2026, a dramatic eruption from Mount Etna forced safety controllers to shut down Vincenzo Bellini Airport in Catania, causing severe travel chaos for holidaymakers attempting to fly into or out of Sicily.
- Eruptive activity centered on the Voragine crater before opening a fresh fissure along the Valle del Leone at an altitude of roughly 2,750 metres, with thick plumes of dark volcanic ash reaching 7,300 metres high across Sicily.
- Because Catania sits just 30 kilometres south of the summit, wind-blown ash plumes forced airlines to divert incoming jets to Palermo, Trapani, and Comiso, while outbound journeys were grounded due to lack of available planes.
- Civil protection volunteers deployed across regional terminals to assist stranded passengers, while rail operator Trenitalia added emergency train services through Messina and Palermo, providing hundreds of extra seats for holidaymakers.
- Mount Etna remains Europe's most active volcano, and flight disruptions at the airport happen several times a year as authorities routinely suspend operations until ash clears and runways are swept clean.
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For almost a week, Etna has caused flight chaos - and it looks like it will continue.
In Italy, Etna plays the troubles. The Sicilian volcano has woken up once again. Hundreds of tourists find themselves stuck by its eruption and by this impressive cloud of ashes that paralyzes the air traffic. They have no choice but to wait or find other means to leave the island. The main airport of the island, in Catania, located a few kilometers from the volcano, had to close. It canceled all its flights until Friday morning at least. (Inter…
Smoke columns have been rising again over Europe's most active volcano for days. While the lava flows attracted spectators on Wednesday, Catania Airport continued to suspend take-offs and landings. Thousands of travelers are affected.
The eruption of Mount Etna continues to cause massive air traffic restrictions on the Italian Mediterranean island.
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