A 30 year old American tourist has died after being struck by lightning while hiking on Mount Etna in Sicily, Italian media reported.
The man was found in cardiac arrest by emergency responders at about 8 p.m. local time on Sunday in a restricted area near the volcano’s summit. He was airlifted to Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Authorities have recently restricted access to parts of Etna because of increased volcanic activity and warned that sudden weather changes can make conditions dangerous, particularly on the exposed upper slopes.
Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, has attracted large numbers of tourists following a series of recent eruptions. About 1.5 million people visit the volcano annually, while volcanic ash has disrupted flights at Catania International Airport in recent days.
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