US tourist killed by lightning strike on Mount Etna during hike in restricted area

An American tourist has been killed by a lightning strike after hiking in a restricted part of Mount Etna.

The 29-year-old man, from Kansas, was on the active volcano in Sicily, Italy, during a thunderstorm, local media reports.

He was struck on Sunday evening in an exposed area above the treeline.

The victim was flown by helicopter to hospital and later pronounced dead by medical personnel. His identity has not yet been confirmed.

More people have been killed on Etna by lightning strikes in recent decades than volcanic activity - with the last eruption-related deaths recorded in 1987.

Vast areas of the volcano's slope are off limits to hikers due to its recent activity - which led to the temporary closure of the airport in nearby Catania.

Hundreds of holidaymakers were left stranded during the busiest travel week of the year as ash spewed from Etna.

The latest activity at the largest active volcano in Europe has been unusual for its persistence and sustained ash emissions.

Northerly winds have spread ash as far as Malta and northern Africa.

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Boris Behncke, a researcher at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology's Etna Observatory, said: "Volcanic ash can be a great risk for aircraft.

"It can be sucked into the motors, and force them to stall.

"This is why everyone is so very cautious with aircraft when there is a volcanic ash emission."

The airport's closure meant planes were rerouted to other airports on the island, which increased taxi fares and car rental prices.

(c) Sky News 2026: US tourist killed by lightning strike on Mount Etna during hike in restricted area