An eruption of Sicily’s Mount Etna sent ash and lave gases high into the sky on Thursday and forced nearby Catania airport to cancel all flights in and out.
Officials said the runaway had been rendered unusable by ash particles that had settled on the airfield.
Several flights to and from Malta cancelled.
A KM Malta Airlines/Ita flight due to leave Malta for Catania at 6am was initially delayed for hours, and then cancelled, as was the return flight.
A Ryanair flight from Malta at 12.10pm was cancelled, along with its return.
