Italy
Volcanic eruption in Italy - closing the airspace

Trifeh Amini,

Martin Palmborg

Updated 15.14 | Published 11.59

An eruption from the volcano Etna closes all air traffic in Sicily.

Swedish Martin Johansson is on the island.

- I spoke to my aunt this morning who was going to fly down here from Arlanda. But it stopped after the layover in Vienna, he says.

The volcanic eruption has caused massive ash clouds in the sky and the local authorities have now decided to "stop all incoming and outgoing flights", reports Reuters.

The flights will result in cancellations and diversions to other airports.

Volcano Etna in Sicily. Photo: Martin Johansson

"Thick clouds over the volcano"

Martin Johansson, 25, is down on the Italian island for work and is only a few miles from Etna.

- I spoke to my aunt this morning who was going to fly down here from Arlanda. But it stopped after the stopover in Vienna. Now we'll see how she gets down, he says.

But the outbreak does not appear to be that strong, according to Martin.

- Now there are thick clouds over the volcano so you can't see much.

Sicily was hit by a volcanic eruption in early July. Then a five kilometer high cloud of smoke rose into the sky.

- It was significantly stronger. At that time there was ash everywhere in the air and some places were hit by ash rain. I was in Catania the other day and the streets were still covered in soot.

Martin Johansson, 25. Photo: Martin Johansson

           

         

          Ash and lava are spreading from the Etna volcano.

          1 / 2Photo: Stella Pictures/Ddp/Abaca Press