Closure of Sicily's Catania airport extended over Mount Etna eruption / Photo: Giovanni ISOLINO - AFP
-
South African election results renew debate over identity-based voting
-
Post-election pressures complicate US and Israeli decisions on Iran
-
South African voters report smoother local election but declining IEC trust
-
UN members approve talks on treaty protocol against environmental crime
-
Dolly Parton museum and Nashville hotel open after singer’s death
-
Family-run West Sussex beach café prepares for first winter season
-
George and Amal Clooney attend New York political-comedy reading
-
CT scans reveal health and burial clues from Egypt’s Braided Lady mummy
-
British buyers pay substantial premiums for period-home appearance
-
Oxford faces complaints over lecturer’s classroom attire
-
Thomas Markle released to house arrest after child-abuse-image charge
-
Kyren Wilson and John Higgins reach International Championship snooker final
-
Dawn of War 4 developers chose Adeptus Mechanicus for tactical variety
-
New Zealand and Tonga meet for place in Rugby League World Cup final
-
Italy face unbeaten South Africa in Turin Nations Championship match
-
Reports of unsafe AI-toy responses renew calls for child-safety rules
-
ChatGPT interactive interface feature tested across six custom tools
-
Juneau food network combines difficult supply routes with deep sharing traditions
-
Freshways milk-price cut deepens pressure on UK dairy farms
-
India climbs green-transition ranking after first emissions decline in 25 years
-
Labour and National remain virtually tied as New Zealand vote count advances
-
Trump names Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff after midterm losses
-
The Good Daughter adapts Karin Slaughter thriller with Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy
-
Restored Albanian tower houses anchor new rural tourism trail
-
Heavy-lift drone evacuates wounded Ukrainian soldier from frontline kill zone
-
Sonia Gandhi reflects on family tragedy and reluctant political career
-
Morrison says West Brom recovered after pressure from successive derby losses
-
Pope Leo begins three-country South American tour in Uruguay
-
Britain considers 2027 state visit for Ukraine’s Zelensky
-
Khawaja says entire Australia camp knew of 2018 ball-tampering plan
-
Anna Miltina Confronted with Racism Allegations on ProSieben Show
-
November Foraging Guide: Edible Mushrooms and Critical Safety Protocols
-
German Auto Giants Face Existential Crisis as China Sales Plummet
-
Microsoft Updates Xbox PC App with 60% Faster Startup and Redesigned Interface
-
Cause of Death Revealed for 'Ellen' Producer Matthew Wright
Closure of Sicily's Catania airport extended over Mount Etna eruption
A closure of Sicily's Catania airport due to an eruption at the nearby Mount Etna volcano was extended for a second time on Monday, the operator said.
Departures and arrivals at the airport will now be suspended until 6:00am local time (0400GMT) Tuesday, the operator said on its website.
The closure was due to "falling volcanic ash" caused by the eruption, it said.
Earlier Monday, the airport management said that flights in and out of the airport would be halted until 1:00 pm, before extending that until 8:00 pm.
Catania's Mayor Enrico Trantino on Monday prohibited the use of motorcycles and bicycles in the city for 48 hours, "because several areas are covered with a layer of volcanic ash", city hall said on its website.
The ash can quickly become slippery on roads and increase the risk of accidents.
At 3,324 metres (nearly 11,000 feet), Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe and has erupted frequently over the past 500,000 years.
Most recently, Catania airport was closed for a day on May 21 due to an eruption.
Around 10 million passengers last year transited through the airport, which serves the eastern part of Sicily.
The closure hits during Italy's busiest tourist season and a day before the August 15 national holiday.
P.Costa--AMWN
