Italy - June 02, 2025 A huge plume of ash, gas and rock has spewed forth from Italy’s Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, but authorities said there was no current danger to the population. Images showed a massive grey cloud billowing from the volcano on the island of Sicily, beginning about 11.24am local time on Monday, according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). Surveillance cameras showed “a pyroclastic flow probably produced by a collapse of material from the northern flank of the south-east crater”, the agency said. A pyroclastic flow occurs when volcanic rock, ash and hot gases surge from volcanoes. They are extremely dangerous. The explosive activity “had transitioned to a lava fountain”, INGV said, with the plume of ash expected to dissipate towards the south-west. SHOTLIST Video of Etna on 2 June. [Credit: X/ljscott_23]