Mount Etna RECAP: Volcano erupts into 'lava fountain' as tourists seen fleeing

Breathtaking footage has emerged from Sicily today after Mount Etna erupted, sending tourists running for their lives.

Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe and started erupting again early this morning. Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said the blast was a series of

"strombolian explosions of growing intensity".

A "lava fountain" has been spotted flowing down the side of Mount Etna. Images now show an orange tinge to the grey ash cloud.

Have you been impacted by Mount Etna's eruption? Email [email protected]

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about the risks of travel, but has yet to add any warnings regarding travel to the Italian island of Sicily.

The FCDO’s general advice for volcanic eruptions states that you should follow any guidance and instructions shared with you by local authorities.

“If you are asked to evacuate, do so as soon as possible and take your key documents (for example, passport) and necessary supplies (for example, medication) with you,” the FCDO adds.

“If you are not told to evacuate but are in an affected area, you should shelter in place. Close any windows and turn off air conditioning or HVAC systems. Ensure that you have enough basic

supplies (including food, necessary medication and bottled water) given power may be affected and water supplies may be contaminated. If you cannot get basic supplies to shelter in place,

you may need to evacuate.

“If you go outside, cover your skin and wear a mask or other face covering, as volcanic ash could irritate your skin and airways.”

Back in 2024, a 55-year-old American tourist died after being taken ill during an excursion on the southern side of Mount Etna, in Sicily.

Rescuers said the cause of his illness was unknown, but warned against the risk of high temperatures coupled with humidity that may prove dangerous for tourists who usually have no specific

preparation for such excursions.

Thousands of travellers had their flights diverted or cancelled due to the eruption of Mount Etna last summer.

A huge plume of ash burst out of the top of the Sicilian natural wonder, spreading across the eastern part of the Italian island. It caused Catania airport to close first until 1pm, and then

until 8pm on August 14, 2024.

The airport was due to handle 235 flights on that day, according to aviation data experts Cirium, meaning very large numbers of passengers were stuck on the island. Motorbikes and bicycles

were also banned on the island for 48 hours due to the risk of slipping on the blanket of volcanic ash.

In a statement the airport said at the time: “Due to Etna’s eruptive activity and fallout of volcanic ash, flight operations are suspended until 8:00 pm.” Catania is around 50km south of the

volcano and also had to suspend flights in May, 2024, due to an eruption.

Mount Etna last erupted in February when emergency services warned about more than 1,000 tourists who went to watch and blocked vital routes.

Regional civil protection chief Salvo Cocina said that rescue services were unable if necessary to get by roads due to the amount of traffic and vehicles parked up.

People on February 17 had come to see the stunning view of lava spilling over snow from the new "Bocca Nuova" crater.

But they had "parked their cars along the narrow streets and blocked circulation" in the area of Vetore, "making the passage of rescue vehicles impossible", Mr Cocina wrote on social media,

stressing that he had alerted police about the risk.

A tour guide has told about how hikers were just “a few feet away” from the ash cloud rising from Mount Etna.

Giuseppe Panfallo, a guide with Go Etna, was with a group of tourists who sheltered together with a huge ash cloud in the distance.

"They almost grazed us. Look at this cloud. We were just a few feet away, and thank God we had a responsible guide with us," he said in the video shared with CNN.

“It came suddenly: an immense cloud of smoke, an immense roar.”

More eruptions may come from Etna as the volcano is currently in a "recharge phase" says an expert.

The president of the Italian Volcanology Association, Marco Viccaro, told Italian media that the volcano is going through a stage where the the magma is closer to the surface.

Based on current levels, Etna's activity "could continue for weeks or even months," with similar episodes, he added.

But in the short term over the coming days it also appears as though the activity has dropped since Monday's eruption.

Images showed striking and very rare smoke rings drifting up into the blue sky from Europe largest active volcano.

Tourists caught the moment Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy blew rare volcanic vortex rings on April 5. The phenomenon happens when the circles made of vapour are generated by the release of

rapid gas and comes after the opening of a new circular crater.

The eye-catching spectacle could be seen in the sky above the volcano from around 1pm in the afternoon on April 5. Juliet and Richard, from London, were holidaying in Sicily with their two

young sons when they witnessed the rings.

Juliet said: "It was amazing and out of this world. Our coach driver who took us up the mountain was so excited as he hadn't seen rings like that for ten years - he said he was going to call

it 'Ring Day'. We knew we were witnessing something special."

Volcanic ash can cause an array of health issues for people after an eruption.

Particles can be so fine that you may not even notice you’re breathing them in. And once in the respiratory system, the ash can cause irritation and discharge in the throat and nose. It may

also trigger dry coughing or make breathing uncomfortable, the network says.

People with asthma or bronchitis might develop severe symptoms such as a hacking cough, sputum, shortness of breath and wheezing. It can also cause serious lung disease but this usually

requires high exposure levels over many years, particularly to one element called crystalline silica.

Ash particles may cause painful scratches on the front of the eye and conjunctivitis, which is inflammation of the conjunctival sac around the eyeball. The eyes may become itchy, bloodshot

or start tearing or leaking a sticky discharge, says the network.

Some people may also experience photosensitivity, redness and a burning sensation in their eyes due to the presence of ash. Contact lens wearers are advised to leave their lenses off to

prevent extra damage from occurring.

Passengers on a flight to Sicily from Edinburgh got a view of Mount Etna erupting as they flew past.

One man said there was calm on board as he thinks most people didn’t realise that the volcano was erupting.

The 33-year-old dad told Edinburgh Live: "If I’m honest, I don’t think anyone knew at all what was going on, and I didn’t want to alarm anyone by announcing that I thought that was the

volcano erupting!

"It wasn’t until we landed and checked our phones that everyone started panicking a little bit."

The volcano is a popular tourist destination visited by nearly 1.5 million people per year. The UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, with its

documented eruptive history dating back at least 2,700 years.

Mount Etna's latest eruption was the most powerful for four years.

Director of National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Stefano Branca, said that the Etna's tremor level, which measures the energy present in its internal conduits , has decreased -

but its activity remains under constant monitoring.

The eruption began early this morning and ash could suddenly be seen descending its southeast face from the heights of this enormous volcano.

Branca, "such intense volcanic activity had not been recorded since February 2021" and a similar episode "happened in 2014".

The head of the regional Civil Protection, Salvo Cocina, recommends "maximum precaution for hikers" and to "avoid the summit area of the volcano until further notice, in consideration of the

potential evolution of the phenomenon".

But Sicily’s president, Renato Schifani, also said lava flows emitted in the eruption had not passed the natural containment area, “and posed no danger to the population”.

A terrifying clip shows tourists fleeing Mount Etna as the volcanco spewed ash into the sky.

Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology has said the eruption commenced around 3.50am local time (2.50am BST), while volcanic tremors began around midnight local time.

And footage has surfaced showing people sprinting down the hillside while huge clouds of smoke billow into the sky around them.

In total, around 50 tourists are spotted frantically running away with a large cloud of volcanic ash above Etna in the background.

A volcanic cloud which is several miles wild is currently hanging over Etna following the eruption.

Italy’s INGV National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said the spectacle on Europe’s most active volcano was caused when part of the southeast crater collapsed, resulting in hot lava

flows. It was the 14th eruptive phase in recent months.

The level of alert due to the volcanic activity was raised at the Catania airport, but no immediate interruptions were reported. An official update declared the ash cloud emission had ended

by the afternoon.

The event was captured in video and photos that went viral on social media. Tremors from the eruption were widely felt in the towns and villages on Mount Etna’s flanks, Italian media

reported.

Mount Etna has turned the skyline on the coast of Sicily black and experts say it could cause serious health issues.

Even if fire, lava and magma are unlikely to make an appearance, volcanic eruptions can pose a major health risk to people in the surrounding areas. This could mainly affect the eyes, lungs

and skin through the acidic gases and ash released into the atmosphere.

The International Volcanic Health Hazard Network notes that being exposed to volcanic gases can have a range of effects depending on how concentrated it is and the length of time a person is

exposed to it. This can include suffocation and death if the CO2 or H2S is concentrated enough.

The latest images from Mount Etna show the smoke and ash still billowing on the edge of the volcano.

Sicily's president Renato Schifani has issued a statement after the eruption of Mount Etna today.

Mr Schifani told reporters: “I am following with the utmost attention, through the head of our Civil Protection, the evolution of the situation on Etna.

“Director Cocina has been in constant contact, since the early hours of this morning, with the prefect of Catania and with the heads of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology

of Etna.

“The partial collapse of the South-East crater, which generated an imposing eruptive cloud several kilometers high and a pyroclastic flow, represents a phenomenon that we are following with

extreme caution.

“At the moment, from the first surveys, the material has not exceeded the edge of the Valle del Leone and, as they assure me, there is no danger for the population.”

Catania Airport which is the closest to Mount Etna currently remains open, it has been confirmed.

Arrivals from Berlin, Milan and Rome have, however, have faced delays this afternoon, and authorities have urged pilots to exercise caution.

An orange alert for pilots remain in place as they are warned to be aware of potential dangers from volcanic ash. A red alert was in place for around three hours, but has been reduced for

now.

Travellers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates, before leaving for the airport.

Local mayor Enrico Tarantino has issued a statememt about today's eruption.

He said: “I spoke to the INGV ( Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology), everything is normal and under control.

“There is no criticality, it is a phenomenon that repeats itself and, in light of the monitoring of the volcano, was already expected.

"So much so that access to the summit areas had been prevented.

"It is our mountain, which we have now begun to know in all its manifestations.”

Mount Etna is the highest island mountain in the Mediterranean and the world's most active stratovolcano.

More than 500,000 years ago, the volcano began to erupt, and at least 2,700 years of volcanic activity have been recorded.

In 1669, Mount Etna experienced its largest known eruption in its recorded history.

It is estimated that the lava, and earthquakes that occurred in the vicinity of the eruption. destroyed about 14 villages and towns.

Thousands more were left homeless, and approximately 20,000 people died.

You can watch the aftermath of the Mount Etna eruption live here...

A "lava fountain" has started flowing down the side of Mount Etna.

Early images have caught an orange tinge to the grey ash cloud that has been seen spewing out since early this morning.

In a social media post the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy has said the "explosive activity from the Southeast Crater has become a lava fountain".

A collapse on the crater has been blamed for the eruption today.

According to the Italian experts at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etnean Observatory, the pyroclastic flow was "probably produced by a collapse of material from the

northern flank of the South-East Crater".

They also say that lava has started flowing on Etna after the intial "ash bomb".

A man visiting Etna has shared a video of the eruption on social media.

Ottavio Reina said he was "in the right place at the right time" as he captured the ash and smoke rolling down the side of the mountain.

He posted the clip to the Visit Etna - EtNative & Meteo Etna Facebook group's 73,000 members, who have shared it more than 100 times since it was uploaded less than an hour ago.

One person commented: "Spectacular experience, what I would give to experience a moment like that. When I went there it was totally dormant, not even a plume of smoke ."

Another replied: "You have not missed anything, believe me, I am used to seeing this spectacle by now living at his feet."

While a third added: "This is not an experience for them. They were lucky, if the cloud had descended toward them they would not have had time to escape."

Holidaymakers seemed unaware of the eruption of Mount Etna today, until someone alerts them to the large smoke plume.

Footage shows families enjoying a swimming pool at an Italian resort, seemingly oblivious to the volcanic activity.

Soon people start looking up and staring at the unusal scene, before more and more people realise what's happening.

Dramatic new camera footage from Sicilly shows the ash and smoke as Mount Etna erupted.

The clouds of orange-tinged smoke can be seen rolling down the mountain before turning into a thick grey ash cloud.

It continues to increase in size throughout the clip, with those filming clearly amazed by what they are watching unfold in front of them.

A video taken from a town close to Etna shows the large plume of smoke billowing in the air.

Dozens of birds are seen flying around above the streets as locals and tourist can be seen in the foreground.

The footage, posted on social media, then pans round to show how wide the cloud stretches.

Mount Etna has begun to erupt, forcing tourists to flee as a plume of smoke rises. pic.twitter.com/GCTENiGYM4

Pilots were issued with a red alert after this morning's eruption.

Although no volcanic ash cloud was detected in initial satellite imagery, a cloud primarily composed of water vapor and sulfur dioxide was observed drifting southwest.

Pilots were being warned to be aware of the potential danger of flying through volcanic ash.

Volcanic ash is hard and abrasive, and can quickly cause significant wear to propellers and turbocompressor blades, and scratch cockpit windows, impairing visibility.

Previous eruptions around the world have seen planes grounded for days due to the potential risk.

The red alert was downgraded to orange three hours after it was first issued. It currently remains at orange.

The images show how the seismic activity changed throughout the eruption.

People all over Sicily can see the smoke billowing from Mount Etna today folllowing the Stromobolian eruption.

Images are coming in showing plumes of smoke rising from the volcano