Mount Etna in Sicily erupted on Sunday, 5 July 2026, sending massive plumes of volcanic ash into the sky, causing widespread flight cancellations across Europe. Catania Airport, the primary hub serving eastern Sicily, suspended all departing and arriving flights due to ash spreading in the atmosphere.
Flight Disruptions and Airline Response
Italy's largest airline, ITA Airways, confirmed that all its flights to and from Catania Airport would be either cancelled or rescheduled because of Mount Etna's volcanic activity. The airport itself limited arrivals to five flights per hour until 9:00 p.m. local time and closed Sector B2 of the airspace. Passengers are urged to check with their airlines before travelling to the airport.
Aviation Alert Raised to Red
Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), through the Etna Observatory, raised the aviation alert level from orange to red after detecting intense activity at the volcano's summit craters. A red alert indicates that an ash cloud poses a potential risk to aircraft. According to local newspaper La Sicilia, the volcanic ash emissions are described as “in full swing,” prompting warnings for aviation.
Eruption Timeline and Monitoring
Reports indicate that ash began rising from the volcano at approximately 7:45 a.m. local time, intensifying shortly before 9:00 a.m. Footage shared on social media shows ash billowing from Europe's most active volcano on Sicily's east coast. Experts continue to closely monitor the eruption and the movement of the ash cloud across Europe.
Background on Mount Etna
Mount Etna is one of Europe's tallest and most active stratovolcanoes, situated on the east coast of Sicily between Messina and Catania. It remains in an almost constant state of activity, with its last eruption recorded on 1 January 2026. The current eruption has already caused significant disruptions to air travel, with further updates expected as the situation develops.
