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US tourist dies after being struck by lightning while hiking Sicily’s Mount Etna
CNN • • world
Key Points:
- An American tourist, aged 29 from Kansas, was killed by a lightning strike while hiking Mount Etna in Sicily during a period of intense volcanic activity.
- The man was rescued by helicopter from an exposed area at about 1,400 meters elevation but was later pronounced dead by medical personnel.
- Authorities have closed certain areas of Mount Etna to hikers due to ongoing volcanic activity, though it is unclear if the victim was in a restricted zone.
- More fatalities on Mount Etna have been caused by lightning strikes in recent decades than by volcanic eruptions, with the last eruption-related deaths occurring in 1987.
- The volcano's recent activity also led to the closure of Catania airport for most of the previous week.
