Brits holidaying in Sicily speak out as they witness Mount Etna erupt | Europe | Travel

British holidaymakers in Sicily have shared their astonishment after witnessing the dramatic eruption of Mount Etna nearby.

The tallest active volcano in Europe burst into life once more yesterday (June 2), resulting in huge plumes of smoke rising sky high, and forcing some tourists to run for their lives. It prompted Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology to issue a statement at 11.03am local time, which read: “Over the past few hours, the activity flagged in the previous statement issued at 4.14am has carried on with strombolian explosions of growing intensity that, at the moment, are of strong intensity and nearly continuous.”

At the heart of the action was TikTok user, Billi-Jo, who shared a video of the scenes from her nearby hotel. She penned the accompanying caption in disbelief: “When you come to Sicily for sun, sea and Aperol Spritz, but get to see Mount Etna erupt instead!”

Indeed, the tranquil surroundings of her pool were quickly overshadowed – quite literally – by the smoke from Etna’s blast as the clear blue skies became tarnished with grey fumes. Similarly, travel blogging duo, Hannah and Charlie, saw their trip to the continent hit by the unexpected natural phenomenon.

“We waited months for this holiday… and Mount Etna said absolutely not,” Hannah shared in a video. “Holy f***ing airballs. Not the VOLCANO going into red warning zone on DAY ONE!”

And similarly to Billi-Jo, the eruption clearly affected her drinking exploits too as she added: “Booked sun and Spritz, but got ash and anxiety.” Again, video footage began with poolside relaxation, before the clouds of smoke descended.

Writing in response, one TikTok user sympathised: “Oh man! A bummer and a lifetime experience all in one.” A second concurred: “Oh no, that was not on the holiday description!” Whilst a third person admitted: “I’d be crying. Those films have put me right off.”

Airline pilots have been issued with a red alert following the eruption, meanwhile. Volcanic ash can damage aircraft engines, and although no volcanic ash cloud was detected in initial satellite imagery, a cloud primarily composed of water vapour and sulfur dioxide was observed drifting southwest.

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

However, for those wishing to travel to Sicily in the coming days, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not released any new travel advice relating to Mount Etna’s eruption.

In fact, flights are still taking off and arriving at Catania Airport, which sits at the foot of the volcano. The FCDO’s general advice for volcanic eruptions states that you should follow any guidance and instructions shared with you by local authorities.

It states: “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. 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.”