The volcano claimed another life.
Sicily’s Mount Etna is one of Earth’s most active volcanoes, and has erupted three times just in 2026 – in January, July and August.
But on Sunday, tragedy struck, as a 30-year-old American tourist was killed by a lightning strike on Etna while hiking Europe’s largest volcano after a period of intense activity.
US hiker dies after being struck by lightning on Mount Etna https://t.co/ioapgIGMby
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) August 17, 2026
Associated Press reported:
“The 29-year-old man from Kansas was rescued by helicopter after being struck Sunday evening in an exposed, barren area. He was later declared dead by medical personnel. His name was not released.
The man was found at about 1,400 meters (nearly 4,600 feet) in the Rocca Capra area.
Authorities have closed 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 — but it was unclear if he was in such an area.”
Everyone who climbs Etna is scared of the lava. The lava isn’t what kills you.
A 29-year-old American from Kansas crossed a closed line on Mount Etna Sunday night to get near the flow. Lightning killed him, up in the open above the tree line, in a zone shut off because of the… pic.twitter.com/wxn6dnKSAg
— IredcapI (@IredcapI) August 17, 2026
CBS News reported:
“The man, whose name has not been confirmed by authorities, was hiking on the volcano when a powerful thunderstorm moved across the area. According to initial reports by ANSA and other agencies, he had entered an area designated as off-limits to hikers, apparently in an effort to get closer to the summit of the active volcano.
Firefighters and emergency services reached the man via helicopter around 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. Eastern) on Sunday and found him in a state of cardiac arrest. He was flown to Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania, but doctors were unable to revive him and he was declared dead at 9:30 p.m., according to local newspaper Catania Today.
The man’s death comes during a particularly active phase for the volcano, which is Europe’s tallest and one of the world’s most active.
Recent weeks have brought repeated lava flows and ash eruptions. The ash has clouded the skies over eastern Sicily and disrupted operations at nearby Catania International Airport.”
Read more:
Eruption of Volcano Fuego Sends Guatemala on High Alert – Hundreds of Tourists and Villagers Evacuated (VIDEOS)
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