On Erupting Volcano, It's the Lightning That's Deadly

A hike turned fatal for an American tourist on one of Europe's most closely watched volcanoes. Italian media report the man was struck by lightning Sunday on Mount Etna in Sicily after apparently entering a zone closed to hikers in an attempt to get closer to the summit. He's described as a 29-year-old from Kansas, per the AP. Rescuers reached him by helicopter and flew him to a Catania hospital, where he was pronounced dead, per CBS News.

The strike came amid an active stretch for Etna, whose recent eruptions and ash clouds have disrupted air travel and drawn large crowds. Officials warn that rapid shifts from sea-level to high-altitude conditions can trigger sudden storms, adding to the risks posed by lava and ash. In recent times, more people have died on Etna from lightning strikes than from any volcanic activity, per the AP. A separate lightning strike Sunday killed a hiker in the Italian Alps.