Mount Etna erupted on July 5, 2026, prompting a red alert and widespread flight disruptions at Catania Airport in Sicily, Italy. The volcano emitted dense ash clouds that forced the cancellation of all incoming flights, according to local news outlet La Sicilia. Flight tracking service Flight Radar 24 confirmed that all arriving flights at Catania Airport were cancelled.
Flight Disruptions and Safety Measures
Italy's flagship carrier ITA announced that all its flights to and from Catania Airport would be cancelled or rescheduled due to the ongoing ash cloud. The Manchester Evening News reported that the ash cloud continues to spread across the surrounding region. Video footage on social media showed ash billowing from the crater starting around 7:45 a.m., intensifying shortly before 9 a.m., as noted by the Mirror.
Volcanic Activity and Alert Level
The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), through the Etna Observatory, raised the aviation alert from orange to red following heightened summit activity. According to La Sicilia, the intense volcanic ash emissions triggered a warning that the phenomenon "is in full swing." A red alert indicates that an ash cloud poses a potential hazard to aircraft. Specialists are monitoring developments using visual and thermal cameras on the volcano.
Mount Etna's Recent Activity
Mount Etna, one of Europe's highest and most active stratovolcanoes, is located on Sicily's east coast between Messina and Catania. It remains in a near-constant state of activity, with its most recent eruption occurring on January 1, 2026. In recent weeks, local reports noted a gradual lava flow from a fissure at approximately 3,000 metres at the base of the Northeast Crater. The INGV confirmed activity in the upper Valle del Leone on June 26, 2026.
