Passenger sees Mount Etna erupting from plane window

A Devon man has said it was “fascinating” to watch Mount Etna erupting during his flight home – a day after his wife had run up the volcano.

Jon and Jo Meek, from Moretonhampstead, had been visiting Sicily for the European Masters Off Road Running Championship.

Mrs Meek – who was sleeping while her husband watched the plumes of smoke from his window – ran in the competition which took place the day before the eruption.

“I can’t actually believe it because you fly out for one race and if the volcano had erupted and we couldn’t race I would have been pretty gutted,” she said.

“Literally the day before, I ran up to the cable car station and back down as part of the race and we thought absolutely nothing of the volcano.”

The couple were separated on the plane and were both sat on opposite sides of the aircraft.

“I have to confess I was fast asleep on the airplane… but Jon however had a great view,” said Mrs Meek.

Mr Meek said the experience was “exciting” but had the race been 24 hours later Mrs Meek would “have been in the thick of it”.

“I was just lucky I was sat in a window seat and overlooking it as we flew off so it’s an amazing sight,” he said.

“I think it was just fascinating… it’s exciting to watch.

“When we took off and I had the view over it I looked over and she was fast asleep so she slept through the whole thing,” he added.