- A 29-year-old American tourist from Kansas has died after being struck by lightning whilst hiking on Sicily's Mount Etna.
- The victim was in an exposed area above the tree line that had been closed to visitors due to prolonged volcanic activity.
- Medical personnel declared the man dead after he was rescued from the volcano's slope by helicopter on Sunday evening.
- Persistent ash emissions from Europe's largest active volcano recently forced nearby Catania airport to close, affecting nearly 2,000 flights.
- Officials noted that lightning strikes have killed more people on Mount Etna in recent decades than volcanic eruptions themselves.
IN FULL
American tourist dies after being struck by lightning hiking Sicily’s Mount Etna