Mount Etna eruption shuts Catania Airport in Sicily
Arrivals were halted, while departures for aircraft already at the airport continued to operate normally.
The Aug. 8 eruption of Mount Etna forced Catania Airport in Sicily to close the airspace affected by volcanic ash and halt incoming flights. The airport operator, SAC, said the closure of air sector C1 was extended as the ash cloud moved under the influence of wind conditions. Departures for aircraft already at the airport continued to operate normally, but restrictions on arrivals and departures remained in place until further notice. Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology reported that Etna's activity was continuing, with lava flows from the Voragine crater and explosive activity forming a volcanic cloud toward the south. On Friday, airport operations were also disrupted several times because of the volcanic activity.