A 30-year-old American tourist died Sunday after being struck by lightning while hiking on Mount Etna, an active volcano on the Italian island of Sicily.
The man, whose identity has not been released, was hiking near the volcano’s summit when a thunderstorm developed. Emergency responders and firefighters later found him in cardiac arrest and transported him by helicopter to Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania, where he was pronounced dead.
The area where the tourist was hiking is restricted to visitors because of its proximity to Mount Etna’s summit. Authorities have expanded the number of areas closed to hikers as volcanic activity has increased.
Mount Etna has attracted large numbers of tourists amid recent eruptions, but officials have warned that the combination of volcanic activity and rapidly changing weather can create dangerous conditions on the mountain.
Italy’s Civil Protection Agency has noted that weather can change suddenly on Mount Etna because the mountain rises from sea level to high elevations over a relatively short distance, creating conditions in which humid air from the sea can interact with colder air.
Mount Etna attracts roughly 1.5 million visitors each year.
The American tourist was one of two people killed by lightning strikes in Italy on Sunday. An Italian man also died after being struck while hiking in the Alps.
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