Skiers race down Etna’s slopes while volcano erupts
- - Skiers race down Etna’s slopes while volcano erupts
Josephine McKennaDecember 28, 2025 at 5:42 PM
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Skiers ignored a huge cloud of ash and jets of molten lava spewing from Mount Etna during an eruption on Saturday as they continued to glide down the slopes.
Lava and rock fragments spewed as high as 1,000ft to 1,300ft from the mouth of the volcano on the Italian island of Sicily.
Scientists from Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) said volcanic activity had intensified in what they called “stop and go” episodes, making the volcano highly unpredictable.
“At 6.48pm a series of strong explosions began at the north-east crater, spewing coarse pyroclastic material over the entire cone and well beyond its base,” the INGV said in a statement late on Saturday.
“Meanwhile, activity has intensified at the vent located on the upper flank of the Voragine crater, which is currently producing a constant fountain [of lava] several tens of metres high.”
Clouds of volcanic ash were confined to the summit area of Mount Etna - Salvatore Allegra/Getty Images
The INGV issued a red notice warning for what is considered Europe’s most active volcano, but flights continued to operate from Catania’s Fontanarossa airport nearby.
Earlier in the day, the authorities became concerned when a fountain of molten lava began streaming on the north-east crater of Etna.
On Saturday, satellite images showed the lava had travelled more than a mile eastward towards the Bove Valley, on the eastern side of the volcano. Regional Civil Protection officials also expressed alarm and warned of “imminent fountains of lava”.
But on Sunday the INGV said the latest volcanic activity had slowed, and reported that clouds of volcanic ash were confined to the summit area. It downgraded the safety risk alert from red to orange.
At 11,000ft, Mount Etna is the tallest volcano in mainland Europe and has been particularly active recently.
A giant plume of ash, pumice and gas spewed from the volcano in June this year. There were scenes of chaos and confusion as day trippers and tour groups were rushed away from the slopes.
The eruption was so powerful that it led to the collapse of part of a crater, and surveillance cameras showed “a pyroclastic flow” of volcanic rock, ash and hot gases had flowed from the volcano.
Streams of hot red lava and rock fragments spewed from the mouth of the volcano on the Italian island of Sicily - Salvatore Allegra/Getty Images
In February, sightseers were warned to stay away from the volcano after its first major eruption for the year produced lava flows and ash emissions that disrupted air traffic.
Mount Etna’s last major eruption occurred in May 2023, forcing authorities to halt all flights at Catania airport. In February this year, there were small eruptions and tourists flocked to the volcano to take photos of lava flowing past snow.
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