An active volcano near NAS Sigonella is unlikely to affect operations

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A webcam image shows smoke rising from an active volcano on the island of Vulcano in Italy, November 23, 2021 (webcam / National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology)

Officials at the Sigonella Naval Air Station in Sicily are monitoring an active volcano that has caused Italian authorities to evacuate residents of a nearby island due to a buildup of toxic gases.

The volcano on Volcano Island, located about 120 miles from Sigonella, is not expected to affect base operations, said Jimmy Strutman, director of emergency operations and the base’s dispatch center.

Strutmann said Sigonella is prepared to address potential problems, such as ash cloud, ash fall and seismic damage associated with the volcanic eruption. The base is also located about 30 miles from Mount Etna, which is also an active volcano.

“We have a risk appendix that details how we would respond to any volcanic eruption,” said Strutmann.

Media reports have said carbon dioxide levels around the island in the Aeolian Archipelago, about 15 miles off the northern coast of Sicily, have risen dramatically, effectively reducing the amount of oxygen in the air. CNN reported that Italian officials this week asked most permanent residents on the island to evacuate their homes due to dangerous levels of carbon dioxide.

Italian officials said the area had seen an increase in volcanic activity over the past few weeks. CNN said the last time the volcano erupted was on March 22, 1890.

NAS Sigonella supports the US Sixth Fleet, NATO, and other US military operations.

Alison Bath

Allison Bath reports on the US Navy, including the US Sixth Fleet, in Europe and Africa. She has worked as a reporter for a variety of publications in Montana, Nevada, and Louisiana, and has worked as an editor for newspapers in Louisiana, Oregon, and Washington.

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