Volcanic ash cloud forces repeated suspensions and diversions at Catania airport, with arrivals suspended until 17.00 on Monday 10 August.Flights to and from Catania's Fontanarossa airport have faced repeated disruption over the past few days after Mount Etna entered a fresh eruptive phase, sending clouds of volcanic ash into the atmosphere above eastern Sicily.  The eruption began on Thursday and intensified over the following days, prompting airport operator SAC to repeatedly close the southwestern air corridor known as sector C1, which lies in the path of the ash cloud.   Arrivals were suspended for much of Friday, with a similar shutdown imposed again on Saturday, while departures of aircraft already on the ground continued as normal throughout.   By Saturday evening SAC reported that conditions had improved and gradually restored full flight operations, though the reprieve proved short-lived as renewed ash emissions forced another closure shortly afterwards. Fresh disruption On Monday, SAC said that changes in wind direction linked to renewed volcanic activity had led to the closure of a further sector, B2, covering the airspace over the Gulf of Catania.   In a statement, Catania airports said arrivals were suspended until 17.00 on Monday as the ash cloud persisted.   Passengers have been repeatedly urged by SAC to check the status of their flight with their airline before travelling to the airport, with further updates promised as the situation develops. Mount Etna situation Etna, Europe's largest and most active volcano, erupts frequently, and its ash clouds regularly force temporary closures of Catania airport.   According to Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the explosive activity at Etna's Voragine crater has fluctuated, alternating between intense ash emission and lava fountaining, with lava flows also reported in the Valle del Bove and Valle del Leone.   The aviation alert level for the volcano has moved between orange and red as the eruption has waxed and waned. A new eruptive vent was also reported to have opened in the Valle del Bove, at an altitude of around 2,550 metres near Monte Rittmann. Travel updates To ease disruption for stranded travellers, Trenitalia has laid on extra rail services linking Catania with Palermo, including a direct train from Palermo airport station and a further service running via Messina, offering additional capacity for passengers unable to fly.   Many arriving flights have been diverted to other Sicilian airports, chiefly Palermo, while a significant number of services have been delayed or cancelled altogether.   For air travel updates check the official Catania airport website.

A new eruptive vent was also reported to have opened in the Valle del Bove, at an altitude of around 2,550 metres near Monte Rittmann.