Tourists told to heed warnings after huge Mount Etna eruption

Plumes of ash and volcanic steam rise from Mount Etna, as seen from Milo, Italy, on June 2. PHOTO: REUTERS

UPDATED Jun 03, 2025, 06:55 PM

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CATANIA, Italy – Tourists have been told to check for warnings before climbing towards the summit of Italy’s Mount Etna after an eruption sent hikers scurrying for safety.

Video footage from the eruption on June 2 showed dozens of people hurrying down a path as a large plume of ash rose behind them from the volcano on the eastern side of the island of Sicily.

Mr Salvo Cocina, head of Sicily’s Civil Protection Department, said dozens of hikers ventured on to Etna despite a warning issued early on June 2 after initial signs of increased activity on Europe’s largest active volcano.

“There was a big explosion and a crater collapsed, but luckily it fell into a deserted area,” he told Reuters on June 3.

“It’s very hard to block access. You can’t fence it off,” he added.

Mr Cocina said those on the mountain on June 2, who had climbed to a height of some 2,700m, appeared to be properly equipped, and he acknowledged the need to balance safety concerns with the desire of tourists to enjoy the views.

Nobody was injured in the June 2 eruption, and the alert for volcanic activity has been downgraded to the more standard “yellow” level on June 3. REUTERS

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