BREAKING NEWS Terrified tourists run for their lives as Mount Etna erupts, sending gigantic plume of ash into the sky
Tourists have been seen running for their lives after Mount Etna erupted, sending a gigantic plume of ash into the sky.
The most active volcano in Europe had been experiencing some activity in the last few hours but has escalated to continuous 'explosions of growing intensity'.
An orange aviation warning has been issued.
Italy 's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said earlier this morning: 'Over the past few hours, the activity flagged in the previous statement issued at 4.14am (3.14am BST) has carried on with strombolian explosions of growing intensity that, at the moment, are of strong intensity and nearly continuous.
'Over the past few hours, the falling of a little thin ash has been flagged in the Piano Vetore area.'
Mount Etna, located on the eastern coast of Sicily, is one of the most active volcanoes worldwide and has been going through an especially active period for the last five years.
This is a breaking story, more to follow.
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