Hikers ignored warnings before Mount Etna’s latest eruption, Sicilian officials say

Published on 04/06/2025 - 15:54 GMT+2

Despite warnings to enactment away, hikers connected Mount Etna were forced to fly this week aft Italy’s astir progressive volcano erupted.

Footage from nan upland shared connected societal media showed visitors scurrying down nan slopes arsenic ash roseate into nan sky. Authorities had issued alerts connected Monday greeting aft signs of accrued volcanic activity, but dozens ignored them and climbed toward nan acme anyway.

“There was a large detonation and a crater collapsed but luckily it fell into a deserted area,” said Salvo Cocina, caput of Sicily’s Civil Protection Department. “It’s very difficult to artifact entree [to Mount Etna] – you can’t obstruction it off.”

No 1 was injured and nan alert level was lowered to nan modular ‘yellow’ connected Tuesday.

Why is Mount Etna truthful celebrated pinch hikers?

Experiencing a close-up volcanic eruption is simply a bucket-list event, and Mount Etna offers 1 of nan astir accessible opportunities to do it.

At 3,350 metres gangly and 35 kilometres wide, nan Sicilian elephantine often rumbles to life, offering a front-row spot to nature’s earthy power.

Even erstwhile it’s active, galore trails and paths stay safe to climb.

“[The acquisition is] a operation of awe and adrenaline,” says upland guideline Saro Trovato, who safely – and legally – climbed Mount Etna erstwhile it erupted inFebruary.

“Even from a distance, you tin consciousness nan power radiating from caller lava flows.”

But supra 2,500 metres, hikers are legally required to recreation pinch a qualified upland guide, who tin support visitors safe arsenic good arsenic informed.

On Tuesday, galore hikers were arsenic precocious arsenic 2,700 metres supra oversea level.

How to enactment safe erstwhile visiting Mount Etna

Conditions tin alteration quickly connected nan mountain.

On Monday, a pyroclastic travel – a fast-moving surge of gas, stone and ash – travelled 2 kilometres down nan mountainside. It didn’t spell further than nan Valle del Leone, a earthy containment area for lava flows, but immoderate changes could person led to catastrophe.

Tourism presents different problems during eruptions, too. In February, Cocina said that visitors parked connected constrictive roads astir Mount Etna had blocked entree for emergency vehicles. Firefighters had to beryllium deployed to negociate nan increasing crowds.

This is why nan authorities instruction mountain guides specified arsenic Trovato, who person real-time updates from volcanologists and rescue teams and are trained to respond if conditions abruptly change.

“Always cheque volcanic activity updates from section authorities and respect immoderate entree restrictions,” he advises. Especially erstwhile nan volcano starts to stir.