A volcanic ash cloud from Mount Etna in Sicily moved into Maltese airspace on Tuesday, forcing airlines to cancel flights to the Mediterranean island during the peak of the tourist season.
Malta International Airport stated in a Facebook post that the facility was experiencing flight disruptions due to volcanic ash clouds over the Maltese islands following recent activity from Mount Etna.
An airport spokesperson reported that 19 flights had been cancelled by late afternoon, while several other flights experienced significant delays.
Airport disruptions and volcano activity
Malta International Airport is located approximately 220 kilometers south of Mount Etna, the most active volcano in Europe. Mount Etna began erupting again last week, leading to airspace closures and the suspension of flights at Catania airport, the largest airport in Sicily, until 11:00 a.m. on August 12.
