Mount Etna eruption disrupts flights in Sicily.

Flights from Catania airport in Sicily were grounded due to volcanic ash from an eruption of Mount Etna covering the runways. The ash was produced by a paroxysmal eruption that sent lava fountains more than 10 kilometers into the air. Volcanic ash clouds are a serious hazard to aviation, reducing visibility, damaging flight controls and ultimately causing jet engines to fail. Mount Etna is Europe’s most active volcano and its eruptions are relatively frequent, resulting in a landscape that constantly changes.