American Tourist Dies After Lightning Strike On Mount Etna

American Tourist Dies After Lightning Strike on Mount Etna

A 30-year-old American tourist has died after being struck by lightning while hiking on Mount Etna, Italy’s active volcano in Sicily, during a thunderstorm on Sunday. The man was reportedly in an area close to the summit when the storm struck. Italian media said he was found by emergency responders in cardiac arrest at about 8 p.m. local time. He was airlifted to Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania but was pronounced dead after arrival. The incident occurred as Mount Etna continues to experience heightened volcanic activity. Authorities have restricted access to parts of the mountain, particularly higher areas where conditions can become hazardous and shelter is limited.

Etna has produced repeated eruptions and ash plumes in recent weeks, disrupting flights at nearby Catania Airport and prompting tighter safety measures around the volcano. Officials have warned that the combination of volcanic activity, rapidly changing weather and exposed terrain can make hiking on the upper slopes particularly dangerous. The death also highlights a lesser-known risk on Etna: lightning. Italian officials have noted that, over recent decades, more people have died from lightning strikes on the volcano than from volcanic eruptions.