Video: Mount Etna eruption lights up the sky in Sicily
Mount Etna erupted on Saturday night sending plumes of ash and molten lava thousands of feet into the night sky above Sicily.
Footage of the eruption was captured from Acireale, near Catania, and shows Europe's tallest and most active volcano emitting hot lava.
According to the Daily Mail, Catania Airport closed airspace above Mount Etna due to the threat from the ash clouds, which could cause planes' engines to shut down.
The Daily Telegraph reports the airport said two air space sectors above the volcano were closed to flights, but the airport itself was operating normally.
More than 25 per cent of Sicily's population live on Etna's slopes, but the residents were not thought to be in danger during this eruption, and no evacuation was ordered, reports the BBC.
Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of activity.
The fertile volcanic soils support extensive agriculture, with vineyards and orchards spread across the lower slopes of the mountain and the broad Plain of Catania to the south.
Due to its history of recent activity and nearby population, Mount Etna has been designated a Decade Volcano by the United Nations. In June 2013, it was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Its last major eruption occurred in 1992.
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