Catania airport in eastern Sicily has reopened after a thick volcanic ash cloud from Mount Etna had made take-offs and landings impossible.

The airport said flights were resuming, some after delays, this afternoon.

Flights had been diverted to Palermo and Comiso after the airport closed yesterday evening.

Earlier in the week, fiery lava belching from Etna caused an explosion when it made contact with snow on the mountainside, injuring 10 people including scientists investigating recent eruptions.

The Catania operation centre of Italy's volcanology institute said members of a team taking measurements on the active volcano had been injured.

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