Tourists rush to Mount Etna as Italian volcano erupts

Spectacular images of lava flowing down the slopes of an erupting Mount Etna have drawn flocks of tourists to the Italian volcano -- to the worry of local guides.

The tallest active volcano in Europe, Etna has been spewing ash and lava for days, forcing the closure of the nearby Catania airport, a key gateway for tourists visiting the island of Sicily.

Companies that organise nighttime hikes allowing participants to watch the eruption up close say they have been flooded with calls.

"They all want to come and see the lava flow, everyone is drawn to this unique beauty," Daniele Perricelli, 41, a local guide told AFP on Wednesday.

Perricelli's group, Guide Etna, takes a few dozen visitors up the volcano every evening -- but is currently receiving about 300 requests a day, three times what it gets on an average summer day, he said.

Ernesto Maria Magri, another local guide, called it a "touristic eruption" that appeals to "many people" because it can be observed in relative safety.

Even though the volcano erupts frequently, he said many local residents were also climbing up to see the lava and "sometimes crowd round in a disorderly way".

Unwilling or unable to secure a guide, many venture up on their own.

That is potentially risky, said Perricelli, explaining the volcano was unstable and it was important to be with someone who could read the mountain.

"There are up to 2,000 people climbing up every evening, the footpaths are overcrowded," he said. "Yesterday, we saw some wearing flip-flops," he added, calling on authorities to be more vigilant.

Some climbers, including Italian TV host Diletta Leotta, have been criticised on social media for taking photos seemingly too close to glowing lava.

Yet, guides said it is possible to come within a few metres of the volcanic flow in lower altitude areas where it has already cooled down.

Under current rules visitors can climb up to around 2,400 metres of altitude on their own but need to be accompanied by a guide to go higher, tour operators say.

The summit is at 3,324 metres.

Italy's civil protection agency has issued a yellow alert for Etna, the second on a four-step scale going from green to red, which entails frequent eruptions and possible explosions.

Ash emissions have caused Catania airport to repeatedly halt flights over the past few days, with Italian media reporting hundreds of flights have been cancelled since Saturday.

The airport operator said Wednesday arrivals and departures would remain suspended until 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Thursday. 

Around 12 million passengers transited in 2024 through Catania International Airport, which services the eastern part of Sicily, one of Italy's most popular tourist destinations.