A 29-year-old American tourist from Kansas was killed by a lightning strike while hiking on Mount Etna, Europe's largest and most active volcano, located in Sicily, Italy. The incident occurred Sunday night in the Rocca Capra area at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet.
The man, whose name has not yet been released, was rescued by helicopter after the lightning strike but was later pronounced dead by medical officials. The area where he was hiking is described as barren and exposed.
Mount Etna has been experiencing eruptive activity, with lava flows descending its slopes. Last week, ash emissions from the volcano forced the closure of Sicily's main airport, causing disruptions for summer travelers and necessitating the rerouting of flights to other airports on the island.
According to officials, lightning strikes have historically caused more fatalities on Mount Etna in recent decades than volcanic activity itself. The last eruption-related deaths on the volcano occurred in 1987.