US Tourist Killed by Lightning on Mount Etna

A 29-year-old American tourist from Kansas was killed after being struck by lightning while hiking on Mount Etna in Sicily on Monday, August 17, 2026. The man was in a restricted area of Europe’s tallest active volcano when a severe thunderstorm moved through the region, according to Italian authorities.

Emergency services received a call shortly before 8 p.m. local time. A helicopter from the Italian fire and rescue service reached the hiker in the isolated Rocca Capra area, within the Valle del Bove at approximately 1,400 meters above sea level. Rescuers attempted to resuscitate the man at the scene before airlifting him to Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania. He arrived in cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at approximately 9:30 p.m. despite continued medical efforts. His identity has not been officially released.

Preliminary information indicates the hiker may have been alone and had entered a zone closed to the public or subject to restrictions. Italian authorities have tightened access to Etna’s upper slopes in recent weeks due to prolonged eruptive activity. The volcano’s latest phase began on August 6, producing ash and lava flows that have disrupted air travel at nearby...