Catania Airport closes after Mount Etna’s eruption, flights diverted and cancelled

An active stratovolcano erupted on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, on July 4, 2024, resulting in diversions and cancellations at a nearby airport. Mount Etna is located in a popular tourist destination, with its eruption causing the Catania Airport to alert passengers. On a social media post, the airport said: “Due to the eruptive activity of Mount Etna and the simultaneous emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the [Italian] crisis unit has ordered the closure of airspace sector B2.” Furthermore, it added that flights were capped to five arrivals per hour. Departures would be “handled accordingly”. It later