A 30-year-old American tourist has died following a lightning strike on Italy's Mount Etna, according to reports from the national news agency ANSA. The man, whose identity has not yet been confirmed by authorities, was hiking on the volcano when a powerful thunderstorm moved across the region on Sunday.
Initial reports indicate that the hiker had entered an area designated as off-limits, apparently attempting to move closer to the summit of the active volcano. Emergency services and firefighters reached the man by helicopter at approximately 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. Eastern) on Sunday, where they discovered him in a state of cardiac arrest. He was transported to Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania, but medical personnel were unable to revive him. He was officially declared dead at 9:30 p.m., as reported by the local newspaper Catania Today.
This incident occurred during a period of high activity for Mount Etna, which is recognized as Europe's tallest and one of the world's most active volcanoes. Recent weeks have seen frequent ash eruptions and lava flows, which have impacted the skies over eastern Sicily and caused operational disruptions at Catania International Airport. Authorities have responded to the increased volcanic activity by restricting access to several parts of the mountain, particularly upper slopes where natural shelter is limited.
Italy's Civil Protection agency has highlighted the inherent dangers of the terrain, noting that the rapid transition from sea level to high-mountain conditions can trigger sudden weather shifts. "The passage from sea level to high mountain within a few kilometers causes sudden changes in weather due to currents of humid air coming from the sea meeting masses of cold air," the agency warns. Roughly 1.5 million people visit the volcano annually, facing risks from both volcanic activity and volatile mountain weather.
The tragedy on Mount Etna was one of two fatal lightning strikes reported in Italy on Sunday. Authorities also confirmed that an Italian man was killed by lightning while hiking in the Alps in the South Tyrol province.
