In brief
A 30‑year‑old American tourist was struck by lightning while hiking on Mount Etna in Sicily and died after a 20:00 local time rescue attempt. The victim was found in cardiac arrest by firefighters in a restricted summit‑access zone and air‑lifted to Catania’s Cannizzaro Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Etna’s recent minor eruptions have drawn thousands of visitors and disrupted air traffic with ash plumes, prompting authorities to restrict more elevated zones due to the compounded risk of storms and volcanic activity.
An American tourist died after being struck by lightning while hiking on the active volcano in Sicily, highlighting the volatile combination of volcanic activity and sudden thunderstorms.
The 30‑year‑old was found by firefighters and emergency services around 8 pm local time (6 pm GMT) in a restricted “summit‑access” zone of the volcano, collapsed in a state of cardiac arrest. He was air‑lifted by helicopter to Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania but was declared dead on arrival.
Etna has been erupting with a series of minor lava flows, ash plumes and seismic tremors in recent weeks, attracting roughly 1.5 million visitors each year. The ongoing activity has introduced ash‑filled plumes that have disrupted air traffic and forced ground operators to downgrade a red alert to orange.
Italian civil protection officials warn that the volatile environment of Mount Etna—especially in the upper slopes above the tree line—can produce lethal hazards when volcanic activity clashes with rapid weather changes.
Authorities have begun restricting access to more exposure zones to protect hikers from these combined risks.
The incident underscores the need for up‑to‑date weather alerts and volcanic monitoring data for tourists trekking in volcanic regions.
