Mount Etna Eruption Captured On Video

Mount Etna has dramatically erupted, sending a huge stream of ash high into the air from one of its central craters, Voragine.

The volcano, which stands 3,329 metres (11,000 feet) above eastern Sicily, is almost constantly active.

The current series of violent bursts, known as paroxysms, began on Februrary 19.

By Saturday, 800m (2,600ft) high fountains of bright orange lava were spewing out of Bocca Nuova, another of Etna's central craters.

Despite the enormous clouds of ash, flights in and out of nearby Catania airport have not been disrupted.

Astronaut Chris Hadfield, aboard the International Space Station, captured the volcano on camera earlier this week.

The Canadian and his ISS crewmates had been tweeting a selection of stunning images of the Earth from space when they passed over Etna as it was spewing ash and steam.