Etna's Ash Keeps Catania Closed, Stranding Sardinian Holidaymakers

Mount Etna's ongoing eruption has kept Catania's airport closed for a fifth consecutive day, grounding flights and stranding hundreds of travellers during Italy's busiest summer travel week, according to France 24 and Al Jazeera. The airport will remain shut until at least early August 15, with flights suspended until Saturday afternoon at the earliest, the outlets reported on Friday.

The volcano, Europe's largest active one, has been spewing lava and volcanic ash that have repeatedly forced closures at Sicily's main gateway. Deutsche Welle reported that the eruption has disrupted travel during the peak summer holiday season, while The New York Times noted that tens of thousands of travellers' plans have been affected over the past week.

For Sardinian travellers, the closure adds another layer of strain to an already fragile summer transport network. Ferries and flights between the islands are the only links to the mainland, and with Catania closed, many who booked connecting itineraries through Sicily face rebooking or cancellation, a situation that echoes the disruption seen in previous eruptions.