A Kansas man died after being struck by lightning while hiking Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy, authorities said.
The 29-year-old man’s death highlighted an unlikely danger on Europe’s most active volcano: Lightning has killed more people there in recent decades than eruptions.
The tourist was hiking above the tree line on Aug. 16 when the strike occurred, according to multiple media reports. His death comes after a week of volcanic activity that sent ash high into the air, disrupted flights across Sicily and prompted officials to restrict access to parts of the volcano.
Emergency crews were alerted shortly before 8 p.m. local time. Firefighters reached the hiker by helicopter and transported him to Cannizzaro Hospital in nearby Catania, where he was later pronounced dead.
Reports differ on whether the man was inside a restricted area when he was struck. The Guardian reported he was hiking in a zone closed to visitors, while The Associated Press said authorities had not confirmed whether he was within a restricted section of the volcano.
Why are parts of Mount Etna closed?
Mount Etna, located on the Italian island of Sicily, is Europe’s largest and most active volcano. The volcano erupted repeatedly between Aug. 6 and Aug. 14, sending ash high into the atmosphere and disrupting flights during the busy summer travel season.
The activity forced temporary closures and disruptions at Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, Sicily’s busiest airport, located about 50 miles south of the volcano, according to Reuters.
Lightning deadlier than eruptions?
Officials said the tragedy points to the danger posed by weather rather than lava.
According to the AP, Italian officials said lightning strikes have caused more deaths on Mount Etna in recent decades than volcanic activity. The Guardian reported that the last eruption-related fatalities on the volcano occurred in 1987.
The Kansas man’s death was also not the only fatal lightning strike reported in Italy that day. Newsweek reported that another hiker, an Italian man, died after being struck by lightning on Piz Starlex in the South Tyrol region of the Alps.
As investigators work to determine exactly what happened on Mount Etna, authorities continue to urge visitors to follow weather advisories and access restrictions around the volcano.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT