US tourist dies after being struck by lightning while hiking Sicily’s Mount Etna

An American tourist died after being struck by lightning while hiking Mount Etna in Sicily, according to Italian firefighters. The 29-year-old man from Kansas was found dead after being struck on Sunday evening in an exposed area above the tree line. He was rescued by helicopter before being declared dead by medical personnel. The tourist's name has not been released.

Recent volcanic activity had led to the closure of parts of the volcano's slope to hikers, while the airport in nearby Catania was shut down for most of last week. Authorities have noted that more people have lost their lives on Etna from lightning strikes in recent decades than from volcanic activity. The last fatalities related to an eruption on Europe's most active volcano occurred in 1987.