New Year's fireworks Italian style: first Etna eruption in 2012 (VIDEO)

The Italian volcano Mount Etna has erupted, sending plumes of orange lava into the air and blowing ashes as high as 5,000 meters.

The spectacular eruption of Etna, which is considered to be the most active of Europe’s volcanoes, lasted several hours and was the first of 2012. According to volcanologists it was a new crater on the volcano south-eastern slope that erupted. The volcano's activity did not disrupt the work of the regional airport, even though massive clouds of ash could be seen from the distance.