US tourist killed by lightning on Mount Etna in area closed to hikers

An American tourist has died after being struck by lightning while hiking on Mount Etna in Sicily, Italian firefighters said on Monday.

The 29-year-old man, who was from Kansas, was struck on Sunday evening while hiking in an exposed area above the tree line on Europe’s most active volcano.

Emergency crews rescued the tourist by helicopter following the lightning strike, but he was later pronounced dead by medical personnel and authorities have not released his name.

The incident happened in an area of Mount Etna that was closed to visitors because of recent volcanic activity.

Officials have restricted access to large parts of the volcano’s slopes following a prolonged period of activity.

The eruptions also forced Catania airport, one of Sicily’s main international travel hubs, to close for much of the previous week.

Despite Mount Etna’s frequent eruptions, officials said lightning has caused more deaths on the volcano in recent decades than volcanic activity itself.

The most recent deaths directly linked to an eruption at Mount Etna occurred in 1987.

Mount Etna, located on the eastern side of Sicily near Catania, is one of the world’s most active volcanoes and regularly attracts hikers and tourists.