Flights were suspended at Catania Airport due to ash eruption from Mount Etna

According to the statement made by the Etna Observatory of the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) regarding the volcanic activity in the volcano, the dense ash cloud emitted by the crater in the northeast of the volcano reached a height of approximately 4 kilometers and progressed in the south direction.

INGV Etna Observatory issued a "red" code warning for airmen passing through the region due to this volcanic activity, which caused intense ash rain around the volcano.

The ash cloud moving towards Catania Airport in the south of the volcano also caused disruptions in air transportation.

In the written statement made by the "SAC" company, which operates Catania International Vincenzo Bellini (Fontanarossa) Airport, it was stated that flight operations to Catania were suspended until 16.00 (01.00 UTC) today and the number of departures was temporarily limited due to the heavy ash released into the atmosphere from Etna.

In the statement, it was stated that passengers should check the status of their flights before arriving at the airport.

According to media reports, it was stated that some flights arriving in Catania were directed to other airports in the region such as Palermo, Trapani and Comiso, due to the suspension of flight operations at the airport in question.

Volcanic activities such as intense ash and lava eruptions have been observed in Mount Etna on the Island of Sicily, which is one of the most active volcanoes in Europe, in recent months.

Volcanic activities frequently negatively affect air transportation in the region.