Mount Etna volcano erupts; airspace briefly closed

Smoke billows during an eruption of Mount Etna volcano as seen from the village of Viagrande, near the Sicilian town of Catania, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013. AP

ROME  — Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, has erupted, sending up a towering plume of ash visible in much of eastern Sicily.

Etna’s eruptions aren’t infrequent, although the last major one occurred in 1992.

Catania airport said the eruption Saturday forced the closure of nearby airspace before dawn, but authorities lifted the order in early morning.

Several inhabited villages dot the mountain’s slopes, but evacuations weren’t necessary despite the lava flow.