Italy's Catania airport shuts as Etna ash halts flights

Flights at Italy's Catania airport were suspended on Saturday due to volcanic ash from Mount Etna's ongoing activity and weather conditions, the company operating the Sicilian hub said.

All arrivals at the airport, Italy's fifth-busiest by passenger traffic, have been suspended until 1000 GMT on Sunday.

Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano, frequently disrupts flights at Catania, but ash emissions have been particularly intense this summer, affecting thousands of travellers during the peak holiday season.


(Reporting by Cristina Carlevaro, editing by Kirsten Donovan)