Italy’s Catania airport closes again due to Etna volcano, after brief reopening

Italy’s Catania airport closed again on Tuesday after renewed disruption linked to the Mount Etna volcano, only hours after it had reopened following a three-day closure.

Airport operator SAC said flight operations had been halted until 1300 GMT because of volcanic activity and current weather conditions.

It advised passengers to check the status of their flights with their airlines before travelling to the airport, adding updates would follow.

The Sicilian airport, Italy’s fifth-busiest by passenger traffic, is often disrupted by volcanic ash interference from Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano.

The latest shutdown affected thousands of passengers and placed significant pressure on other Sicilian airports, as airlines diverted flights away from Catania.