US Hiker Killed by Lightning on Mount Etna

An American tourist has died after being struck by lightning while hiking on Mount Etna in Sicily.

The 30‑year‑old, who has not been named, was on the active volcano on Sunday when a thunderstorm broke out, according to Italian media.

Firefighters and emergency services found him in cardiac arrest at about 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT) in a restricted area used by hikers to get closer to the summit. He was flown by helicopter to Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania but the medical team declared him dead upon arrival.

The incident came amid a series of recent eruptions from Europe’s most active volcano, which have caused local air‑traffic disruptions and attracted a surge of tourists. Authorities are tightening access to higher slopes that offer little shelter above the tree line because of the combined risk of volcanic activity and sudden weather changes.

Around 1.5 million people visit Etna each year, and ash from eruptions has clouded the skies over eastern Sicily, disrupting hundreds of flights at Catania International Airport in the past week. An aviation alert was only downgraded on Saturday from the highest warning level of red to orange.