US tourist killed by lightning strike while hiking on Italy's Mount Etna

A hiking trip on Sicily's Mount Etna turned tragic when a 29-year-old American tourist from Kansas was killed by a lightning strike. The incident occurred Sunday night in an exposed area above the tree line, according to Italian firefighters.

Rescuers airlifted the man from the mountainside, but medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. His identity has not been released. The area where the strike occurred had been closed to visitors due to the volcano's ongoing activity, which had also forced the closure of the nearby Catania airport for much of the previous week.

While Mount Etna is Europe's most active volcano, with the last eruption-related deaths occurring in 1987, authorities noted a peculiar trend. In recent decades, lightning strikes have proven more lethal to visitors on the volcano than volcanic eruptions themselves.

The U.S. Embassy in Italy has been notified of the incident. The tourist was reportedly hiking in a restricted zone, highlighting the risks associated with venturing into areas affected by volcanic unrest or adverse weather conditions.