Etna eruption extends closure of Sicily's Catania airport until Saturday
Volcanic ash has disrupted air traffic for seven days as southerly winds push the plume toward the airport area, officials said.
- Mount Etna's seven-day eruption has forced Catania airport to extend flight suspension until 08:00 on August 14, stranding hundreds of travelers during Sicily's peak Ferragosto holiday week.
- Southerly winds are pushing a continuous ash plume from the Voragine crater toward the airport, prompting Civil Protection and Sea Policies official Nello Musumeci to state, "It is not the volcano that is out of place, but the airport."
- Salvo Gambino, director of the Etnean Observatory at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, noted the seven-day duration is distinctive, likely driven by "magma rising from greater depth and richer in gas."
- Crowds flocking to observe Mount Etna have created chaotic traffic and safety hazards on unstable slopes, leading nature guide Cristian Alessi of EtnaWay to warn that viewing "has to be done safely, with guides."
- The Alpine Rescue service and Gambino urged extreme caution for hikers, advising visitors to "go to areas where it is possible to watch without venturing too far" while carrying torches after dark.
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Etna - one of Europe's most active volcanoes - has been a spectacular sight in recent days. Eruptions and lava flows have attracted crowds of tourists, while also causing fear and traffic problems. Due to volcanic dust, Catania airport has been closed and airlines are diverting to other airports. Local taxi drivers are charging up to a thousand euros to cross the island.
The Etna volcano erupted, spewing ash that affected Catania Airport, Sicily's largest airport, forcing the suspension of flights until at least Saturday afternoon, impacting hundreds of passengers.
Observador
The airport of Catania will remain closed until Saturday afternoon. The ashes could be sucked into the engines of the planes and "make them stop", explains expert.
Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights with the airlines before going to the airport. The post Sicily: Catania airport closure extended due to the eruption of Mount Etna appeared first on in.gr.
Mount Etna is not yet calming down: ash clouds have been causing major disruption to air traffic for a week now. Catania Airport will remain closed until at least Saturday at 3 p.m. Since the end of the volcanic activity is not yet in sight, further delays cannot be ruled out.
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