Among those affected is a young woman from Seville residing in Milan, who remains trapped in the city of Catania with a group of friends after the cancellation of their return flight due to the intense volcanic activity. What was supposed to be the traditional summer getaway, organized well in advance "many months ago," has turned into a situation of uncertainty for this group of Spanish women.
After arriving in Sicily last Thursday, they had planned to fly back to Milan on Sunday night; however, the awakening of Mount Etna forced the closure of air traffic, leaving them on the island with little information and assuming on their own the expenses derived from their extended stay. The affected woman recounts that, although they were already aware of the volcano's activity upon landing, the calmness of the locals gave them a false sense of security: "The Sicilians are quite accustomed. They live with Mount Etna every day," she pointed out.
Everything changed during the Saturday night when the group witnessed the fiery spectacle from the road. "We literally saw the lava. For us, it was an experience we had never lived through," explains the young woman. The eruption has left scientists and tourists astonished by an unusual geological behavior. A drone has captured images of a glowing red stream that, instead of descending down the slopes, seems to fall back into a hole at the summit, as if the volcano itself "had devoured it." This interaction between two of the main craters has generated an unprecedented visual spectacle, although for the tourists, it has meant the complete disruption of their plans.
Despite the magnitude of what they experienced, the group of Spanish women did not assess the risk of being trapped. "In our minds, it was not possible for our flight to be canceled. We didn't see it as so dangerous, precisely because people here live with the volcano normally," regrets the affected woman. Currently, the young women are awaiting a logistical solution in one of the most active volcanic areas in the world, while Mount Etna continues to display its strength and airlines try to manage the chaos caused by ash on the runways.