India, Aug. 9 -- Flight operations were briefly suspended at Catania airport in Sicily, a top Italian tourist destination, after the volcanic eruption at nearby Mount Etna spewed ashes and smoke and filled the skies on Saturday.

"Following the downgrade of the volcanic activity alert level from RED to ORANGE, the resumption of flight operations has been authorised with immediate effect," Catania airport said in a statement, news agency AFP reported, adding that flight operations were being restored gradually.

This followed an earlier advisory where the Catania airport said that Etna's eruptive activity and the associated release of volcanic ash into the atmosphere had forced the closure of airspace.

A plume of smoke could be seen billo...