ROME (Reuters) – The Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) on Saturday gave its green light to reopen the main terminal at Sicily’s Catania airport, a statement said, nearly three weeks after it was shut down due to a fire.
“ENAC’s order … allows the airport to return immediately, as of this evening, to normal conditions,” Sicilian regional governor Renato Schifani said in the statement published on the airport’s website.
The fire at the airport, which acts as a hub for the east of Sicily and attracts more arrivals than the capital Palermo, broke out on July 16 and directly affected a small part of the structure.
It caused major disruption for tourists and residents in the city below Mount Etna.
Following the accident, the airport operated at reduced capacity through a smaller terminal, alongside which tent-like structures were built to help cope with the flows of passengers.
Nobody was hurt in the blaze, the cause of which is still being investigated.
“The airport’s return to full operation also represents a guarantee for the entire Sicilian tourism sector, which we will continue to support in agreement with the national government,” Schifani said.
The Catania airport is regularly used by tourists heading to places including the resort town of Taormina, which is about 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) away, and Siracusa, with its Greek Theatre.
(Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by David Holmes)
