Mount Etna eruption forces closure of Sicily's Catania airport

Flights were suspended until 9am Monday morning (22 May) while crews worked to clear the ash from the airport. 

According to data firm Cirium, the Sicilian airport was scheduled to be the sixth busiest in Italy on Sunday (21 May) – with 253 flights scheduled to depart and arrive from the airport.

As of 5pm yesterday (21 May), 68 flights to and from Catania airport were cancelled, with 44 departures being called off and 24 arrivals.

Ryanair was the most affected carrier with 23 cancelled departures, followed by ITA Airways (7) and easyJet (6). 

In a statement published on Monday (22 May), the airport said: "Starting from 9am, the airport will be operational again and that flight operations will be restored with initial limitations. There may therefore be delays on the scheduled times."