Mount Etna Eruption Halts Flights, Stranding Thousands of Tourists

Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, has disrupted the holiday plans of thousands of tourists on Sicily, including many Germans. The eruption, which began on Friday and continues, has led to significant travel chaos.

Due to ash clouds, flights at Catania Airport were completely suspended until Wednesday 11 AM. Even before this, takeoffs and landings were severely limited. Over 200 flights have been rerouted or canceled, making the journey home a ordeal for many.

Chaotic scenes have unfolded at Catania Airport, located at the foot of Mount Etna. Some families were forced to spend the night there. Additionally, flights from other airports and trains leaving the island are fully booked. For one reporter, a journey that typically takes two and a half hours from Catania to Berlin turned into a two-and-a-half-day ordeal.

Mount Etna Highly Active for Five Days

Mount Etna has been emitting large amounts of ash and glowing rocks for five consecutive days. The Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) reports thick lava flows from two craters at altitudes of 2360 and 2750 meters. A new vent also opened at around 1900 meters. While such eruptions from the over 3300-meter-high volcano are not uncommon and have been closely monitored for decades, the current scale is causing significant disruption.

Strict safety standards are in place for aircraft. Authorities decide on closures based on wind direction and ash concentration, often with very short notice. Catania is currently under the highest warning level, Red, indicating an imminent or ongoing eruption with significant ash emission. Only one domestic flight managed to depart in the morning, with all landings suspended until 7 PM.

Tourists: A Raft Would Be Faster

The situation is particularly problematic during the peak summer season when many international tourists are on the island. Many are trying to reach the island's capital, Palermo, or opt for train travel. An estimated 30,000 people are affected, with many tourists forced to extend their stays. However, accommodations are full, leading some to sleep at the airport.

Many stranded passengers have complained about overwhelmed staff and contradictory information. One told "La Repubblica," "We were left to our fate. If I had gotten into a rubber dinghy, I would have arrived much sooner."

Compounding the problem, opportunists are exploiting the tourists' predicament. Italian actor Filippo Laganà reported on Instagram that a shuttle bus from Catania to Palermo, a distance of about 200 kilometers, was being charged at €700. Intercity trains from the island to Rome, a journey of about ten hours including a ferry, are fully booked for days. These trains lack dining cars and even water for sale. Many international flights depart from Rome.

Ash Sticks to Skin in 35-Degree Heat

It remains unclear when flight operations in Catania will return to normal. Numerous aircraft are parked on the tarmac, protected from the ashfall, with engines particularly shielded. The runways require constant cleaning of volcanic ash. The airport handles over twelve million passengers annually.

The ashfall also impacts the daily lives of island residents and tourists not traveling. In the summer heat, sweat makes the fine ash particles stick to the skin, leaving it speckled black. Passing buses can stir up the gray dust on the roads. Furthermore, the view of Mount Etna is obscured by smoke clouds, even on otherwise perfectly blue skies.

Despite the difficulties, the volcano continues to attract tourists. At nightfall, onlookers flock to viewpoints to photograph the glowing lava flows against the night sky. On their way back, a young Italian couple lost their way and had to make an emergency call, but were subsequently rescued.