Canada updates Italy travel advisory, urging travellers to use caution

The Government of Canada updated the natural-disasters-and-climate section of its Italy travel advisory on Monday, Sept. 14, urging Canadians planning to visit the country, or already there, to exercise caution. The advisory says a volcanic ash cloud from Mount Etna’s recent eruption is disrupting flights in Sicily and advises travellers to confirm their flight status before going to the airport.

Catania International Airport suspended all flights on Monday, according to the Independent. The closure was extended until Tuesday, with the airport saying closures in parts of the facility had been extended and all scheduled arrivals and departures cancelled.

Ash fallout forced the airport to close for five days in August, its longest emergency closure since 2002. That closure coincided with the busy Ferragosto public-holiday travel period. The World Meteorological Organization says volcanic ash and gases can be drawn into aircraft engines and cause malfunctions. UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention describes Mount Etna as the highest mountain on a Mediterranean island and the world’s most active stratovolcano; flight diversions and disruptions frequently affect thousands of travellers during the busy summer season.

Canadians travelling abroad can register with the free, confidential Registration of Canadians Abroad service. The service notifies Canadian citizens outside the country of emergencies abroad or in Canada, and permits registrations for individuals, groups and multiple countries on the same trip.