American tourist killed by lightning strike hiking Mount Etna in Sicily

An American tourist was killed after being struck by lightning while hiking Sicily’s Mount Etna, Europe’s largest volcano, which was recently active, Italian firefighters said Monday.

The 29-year-old man from Kansas, whose name had not been released at the time of this reporting, was found at an altitude of 1,000 feet in the Rocca Capra area.

He was rescued by helicopter after he was struck Sunday night in a barren, exposed area. He was later pronounced dead by medical officials.

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Ash from the volcano forced the closure of Sicily’s largest airport last week, impacting summer travelers during the busy travel season.

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Planes were forced to be re-routed to other airports on the island.

More people have died on Etna from lightning strikes over recent decades than from volcanic activity, officials said. The last eruption-related fatalities were in 1987.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.