Mount Etna erupted on Sunday, July 5, 2026, sending thick ash clouds into the sky and prompting a red aviation alert.
All incoming flights at Catania Airport in Sicily were canceled due to safety concerns.
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The disruption began early in the morning when the volcano started spewing ash, according to local news site La Sicilia.
Flight tracking service Flight Radar 24 confirmed cancellations across all incoming routes.
Italy's primary carrier, ITA, announced it would cancel or reschedule all flights operating through the airport.
Red Alert Issued
The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), via the Etna Observatory, raised the aviation alert level from orange to red.
A red alert indicates that an ash cloud poses an immediate risk to aircraft safety.
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Officials continue to monitor the volcano using visual and thermal cameras.
Ash emissions intensified around 9 a. m.
after initially rising at 7:45 a. m.
Mount Etna is one of Europe's tallest and most active stratovolcanoes, located on the eastern coast of Sicily.
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The volcano maintains an almost constant state of activity, with its previous eruption recorded on January 1, 2026.
