An eruption from nearby Mount Etna on Monday forced the suspension of flights to Catania in eastern Sicily, according to local authorities, adding yet another travel headache to the already troubled Italian airport.
Overnight, the 3,330 meter (10,925 ft) high volcano erupted, spewing lava and ash high above the Mediterranean island. Before morning, the lava flow stopped, although one of the craters was still spewing ash.
An airport operator statement dashed expectations that flights could resume on Monday night by announcing that they would be suspended until 6 a.m. (0400 GMT) on Tuesday morning. Catania is a well-known tourist destination.
Before leaving for the airport on Tuesday, passengers were encouraged to check with the airlines.
On Monday, incoming planes were rerouted to other Sicilian airports. In Italy, where Tuesday is a public holiday, the summer vacation period is at its height.
Due to the many streets being blanketed in ash and the slushy conditions, Catania Mayor Enrico Trantino forbade the use of motorbikes and bicycles in the city for the following 48 hours. He also ordered automobiles to go no faster than 30 kph (19 mph).
The most recent cancellations came a month after a fire at a terminal building caused weeks of inconvenience for travelers at Catania airport, which receives more arrivals than the island’s capital, Palermo.
1992 saw the final significant eruption of Etna.
(Editing by Conor Humphries; reporting by Crispian Balmer and Keith Weir)
Please note that this report was automatically created by the Reuters news agency. ThePrint disclaims all liability for its contents.
Source- Theprint