A 30-year-old American hiker died after being struck by lightning on Mount Etna, an active volcano in Sicily, according to Italian media reports. The incident occurred on Sunday when a sudden thunderstorm developed while the tourist was hiking on the volcano.
Emergency services and firefighters found the individual in cardiac arrest around 8 p.m. local time in a restricted area near the summit. The hiker was airlifted to Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania but was pronounced dead upon arrival. The identity of the deceased has not yet been released by authorities.
Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, experiences frequent eruptions that have caused disruptions to local air traffic, but also attract numerous visitors. Authorities have been managing access to certain areas of the mountain, particularly the upper slopes, due to increased volcanic activity and the inherent hazards posed by unpredictable weather changes at higher altitudes.
Italy's civil protection agency has previously issued warnings about the dangers of combining volcanic activity with sudden weather shifts on the mountain. Approximately 1.5 million people visit Mount Etna annually.