Mount Etna eruption live: Red alert as volcano spews ash and Catania Airport closed

Mount Etna eruption live: Red alert as volcano spews ash and Catania Airport closed Mount Etna in Sicily has blasted ash into the sky above Sicily leading to major travel disruption and the closure of Catania Airport into a second day Mount Etna in Sicily has erupted again, sending huge plumes of volcanic ash into the sky and forcing the cancellation of flights at Catania Airport. The airport, which serves hundreds of thousands of British holidaymakers each year, suspended all incoming flights yesterday (Sunday) and will remain closed until 2pm today. Italy's national airline, ITA Airways, has confirmed that all departing and arriving flights at Catania Airport would either be cancelled or rescheduled. Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology raised the aviation alert level to red after detecting intense activity at Etna. Dramatic image show Strombolian eruptions - huge bursts of lava and hot rock blasting from the vent of the volcano. On Sunday, the volcano began spewing ash from a vent on the upper eastern flank of the Voragine summit crater at around 7.45am local time. The activity intensified into the morning, with plumes of ash rising about a mile above the crater. By the evening, it was sending glowing fragments of lava into the sky. Key Events A latest statement from Catania Airport reads: "Following the volcanic activity that occurred during the night between Sunday, July 5th and Monday, July 6th, all incoming flight operations remain suspended, and departures are stopped, currently until 2:00 PM. "Passengers are kindly requested not to travel to the airport unless they have first checked the status of their flight with their airline." Catania airport’s website shows a long list of flights which are either diverted, cancelled or currently delayed until this evening. Passengers are being asked to not to travel to the airport this morning. Passengers are being asked to check the status of their flights with their airlines before traveling to Catania Airport today. The airport currently remains closed until midday for both incoming and outgoing flights due to Mount Etna erupting. Some flight are being diverted to Palermo airport on the north west of Sicily. Flights into Catania Airport are still being affected by the Mt Etna eruption this morning. A flight due to land at the airport from London Gatwick at 7.10am was cancelled and another from Luton due to land at 8am will now touchdown at 2pm. Passengers area advised to contact their airline before travelling to Sicily. Mount Etna is located in what is known aqsthe continental collision between the Eurasian and African plates. Extensional faults occur in this area, which has allowed magma to rise from the Earth's mantle. Information by the Italian Civil Protection Department reads: "The lava flows of Etna, due to their viscosity and consequent low sliding speed, are not such as to constitute a danger to the safety of people. "In the case in which the leakage occurs from the mouths placed at high altitude, the flows would rarely reach the towns . "Only in the case of eruptions of long duration, such an eventuality can occur." Etna's eruptive vents are located at the summit of the volcano and the Bocca Nuova, Voragine Cratere of north-east and Cratere of south-east, according to the Italian Civil Protection Department. Each of them has a diameter of about 200 meters. Etna is the largest volcano in Europe. The volcano is 3350m above sea level and 35km in diameter at the base. The alert level for Etna is yellow at this time, according to the Italian Civil Protection Department. Lava was seen along Mount Etna's eastern flank after on July one after an eruptive fissure opened at eastern base of Voragine summit crater. A statement from the management company of Catania Airport said: "Following today's volcanic activity and due to shifting winds, the area corresponding to the south-west air cloud (sector C1) has been closed until 5am tomorrow morning, July 6." As a result, all evening and overnight arriving flights have been suspended. However, departures for aircraft already on the ground are still operating. "Passengers are asked to check the status of their flights with their airlines before heading to the airport. Updates will follow in the coming hours," the statement added. Mount Etna has put on a fiery display this evening, with a livestream on afarTV capturing the volcano's Strombolians eruptions in all their glory. These eruptions consist of short, rhythmic bursts of gas that eject glowing pieces of magma from a volcanic vent. These fragments - which range from large volcanic bombs and lava clots to fine lapilli and ash - are typically thrown tens to hundreds of metres into the air. Due to ongoing volcanic ash in the atmosphere, flight restrictions remain in place at Catania Airport, according to Sicilian broadcaster Radio Una Voce Vicina. As previously reported, sector B2 of the airspace - the area on the southern side of Mount Etna affected by the volcanic ash cloud - has been closed. Catania Airport said the closure will remain in place until 7pm local time (6pm BST). It is not yet clear whether it has been lifted. Restrictions on incoming flights will stay in place until 9pm local time (8pm BST), with arrivals capped at five per hour. Departures from the airport are not restricted. Passengers are being advised to check their flight status before travelling. Operations at Palermo Airport in Sicily have been busier than usual due to increased Strombolian activity at Mount Etna and the resulting flight disruptions, according to local reports. Palermo Today reported that 23 flights were diverted from Catania Airport to Palermo Airport. Mount Etna is producing small explosions of ash and incandescent volcanic fragments - a type of activity known as Strombolian eruptions. Named after the nearby volcano island of Stromboli, this type of eruption involves short, regular bursts of gas that eject glowing pieces of magma from a volcanic vent. These fragments can include volcanic bombs, lava clots, lapilli and ash, and are typically thrown tens to hundreds of metres into the air. - There is increased volcanic activity at Mount Etna, which stands around 11,050ft above sea level on the east coast of Sicily. - Europe's most active volcano is releasing a large plume of ash from a vent on the upper eastern flank of the Voragine summit crater. - The ash cloud rose about a mile above the summit before drifting south with the wind. - A lava flow that had been active since June 26 stopped on Saturday (July 4), but the volcano is still producing small, frequent explosions known as Strombolian eruptions. - Due to the volcanic ash, aviation authorities have kept the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation at 'red', its highest alert level. - The ash cloud has led to temporary airspace restrictions, causing flights arriving at Catania Airport to be suspended. Etna stands around 11,050ft above sea level and is about 22 miles in diameter, although volcanic activity has altered the mountain's height over time. Occasionally, Catania Airport, the largest airport in eastern Sicily, has to close for hours or even days when volcanic ash makes flying in the area dangerous. With Etna’s lava flows largely contained to its uninhabited slopes, life continues in towns and villages elsewhere on the mountain. The volcano also supports fertile farmland and attracts tourists. The volcano has inspired ancient Greek legends. An eruption in 396 BC is said to have kept the Carthaginian army at bay. In 1669, during what is considered the volcano's worst known eruption, lava buried parts of Catania, about 15 miles away, and devastated dozens of villages. Another eruption, in 1928, cut off a rail route circling the mountain’s base. In a post on Instagram six hours ago, Catania Airport said: "Due to this morning's volcanic activity on Sunday, 5 July, Sector B2 has been closed, and arrivals have been limited to five flights per hour until 9pm (local time). "Passengers are advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before travelling to the airport. Further updates will be provided as they become available." We are awaiting further updates on how long disruption at the airport will continue. Incadescent lava was observed just days ago on Mount Etna before its eruption, on July 1. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, through the Etna Observatory, has raised the aviation alert from orange to red following the activity at the summit today. According to La Sicilia, intense volcanic ash emissions have prompted a warning for aviation that the phenomenon "is in full swing". A red alert is given when an ash cloud poses a potential risk to aircraft. Experts continue to monitor the situation through visual and thermal cameras installed on the volcano. Lava was spotted burning bright into the night sky from Catania just days ago on July 1. An orange glow from Mount Etna could be spotted on its eastern flank, following reports of an eruptive fissure at its eastern base. Mount Etna stands as one of Europe's tallest and most active stratovolcanos, situated on the east coast of Sicily in Catania, between the cities of Messina and Cantania. It is in an almost constant state of activity, with its last eruption recorded on January 1 this year. In recent weeks, local reports noted a slow lava flow from a fracture that opened around 3,000 metres at the base of the Northeast Crater. The INGV, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, said it recorded activity in the upper Valle del Leone on June 26. Italy's leading airline ITA AIrways has announced all its departing and arriving flights to and from Catania are subject to cancellations or rescheduling. In a statement issued on X, the airline wrote: "Temporary closure of Catania Fontanarossa airport. Due to Mount Etna’s volcanic activity and the presence of volcanic ash in the atmosphere, operations at Catania Fontanarossa Airport have been temporarily suspended. "Our departing and arriving flights are subject to cancellations and rescheduling. Please check your flight status on our website and app before heading to the airport." Dramatic pictures show the scale of the eruption in Sicily. Local news in Sicily reports ash rising from the stratovolcano just before 8am this morning (Sunday, July 5) before intensifying around an hour later. La Sicilia reports: "From 7:45 a.m., ash emissions began from the vent on the upper eastern flank of the Voragine crater, intensifying around 8:45 a.m. until generating an eruptive cloud about 1.5 kilometres high above the volcano's summit. For safety reasons, incoming flights to Catania-Fontanarossa airport have been suspended, while Ingv models indicate that the ash cloud will move toward the southern and south-southeast sectors in the coming hours." Video footage shows the volcano erupting while locals and visitors enjoy the beach. Thick smoke can be seen pumping into the blue sky from the peak of the mountain. Catania Airport has suspended flights due to safety fears. It has ordered the closure of sector B2 and reduced flights to five per hour until 9pm local time following the volcanic activity.