Etna has calmed down after a recent series of spectacular eruptions from Europe's tallest active volcano, local volcanologists said in Catania on Friday. The lava flow from the south-east crater responsible for the latest blasts has stopped, said the Etna Observatory of the National Institute for Geopphysics and Volcanology (INGV-OE).

Etna on Thursday belched out another lava plume, spewing ash and lapilli into a nine-kilometre-high column. The ash was scattered onto nearby Catania and the eastern Sicilian city's airport's air space was closed. Flights were rerouted out of Palermo.