US tourist struck by lightning, dies hiking active volcano in Italy

By New York Post (World News) | Created at 2026-08-17 15:14:15 | Updated at 2026-08-17 15:35:46 48 minutes ago

An American tourist was killed by a lightning strike on Sicily’s Mount Etna while hiking in an area that was closed to visitors due to recent volcanic activity, Italian firefighters said Monday.

The 29-year-man from Kansas was rescued by helicopter after being struck Sunday evening in an exposed area above the tree line. He was later declared dead by medical personnel. His name was not released.

Mount Etna’s eruptive phase persists with fluctuating explosive dynamics at the Voragine summit crater on Aug. 10, 2026, in Catania, Sicily, Italy. Anadolu via Getty Images

A drone view shows lava being ejected from a crater and molten lava flowing in Sicily, Italy on Aug. 13. REUTERS

Authorities are no longer letting hikers climb near Mount Etna due to the volcano’s eruptive activity. Anadolu via Getty Images

Authorities have closed vast areas of the volcano’s slope to hikers due to the volcano’s prolonged activity — which forced the closure of the airport in nearby Catania for most of last week.

Officials said that more people have died on Etna from lightning strikes over recent decades than from volcanic activity. The last eruption-related fatalities on Europe’s most active volcano were in 1987.

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