Whoopi Goldberg Returns to The View After Sicily Volcano Delays

Whoopi Goldberg returned to The View on Tuesday after being stranded in Sicily when Mount Etna erupted and forced airport closures.

Goldberg said she was able to leave because she chartered a plane during a brief window when flights were allowed to depart. She said authorities gave them a 17-minute window to take off, and her group also brought along other travelers who needed to get home.

She said she felt sorry for the many people who remained stranded because airports were still closed.

Goldberg recalled being on a plane when the pilot announced that Mount Etna had erupted. She joked that she wished the pilot had taken off before telling passengers about the volcano.

On Monday's episode, Goldberg appeared in a prerecorded video from Sicily explaining that the eruption had canceled outgoing flights and prevented her from returning to the United States in time for the show. She joked that "a volcano ate my homework."

Monday's broadcast also featured absences from cohosts Ana Navarro and Sara Haines because of severe weather affecting the U.S. East Coast. Joy Behar filled in as moderator, while actress Michelle Buteau joined the panel as a guest cohost.

The View airs weekdays on ABC.