A 29-year-old tourist from Kansas was killed by a lightning strike while hiking on Sicily's Mount Etna, authorities reported Monday. The incident occurred Sunday evening in an area above the tree line that had been closed to visitors due to the volcano's ongoing activity.
The American was rescued by helicopter after the lightning strike but was later pronounced dead by medical personnel. His identity has not been released.
Mount Etna has been experiencing a persistent eruptive phase, with fluctuating explosive activity at its summit crater. This activity has led authorities to close large sections of the volcano's slopes to hikers. The airport in nearby Catania was also closed for most of the previous week due to the eruptions.
Officials noted that in recent decades, more individuals have died on Mount Etna from lightning strikes than from volcanic activity itself. The last fatalities directly linked to an eruption on Europe's most active volcano were recorded in 1987.