US tourist dies in lightning strike on Mount Etna

An American tourist has died after being struck by lightning on Sicily's Mount Etna, according to international reports. The 29-year-old man was hiking on the volcano's eastern slope on Sunday when a thunderstorm developed, and was found in serious condition by rescuers before being pronounced dead at a hospital in Catania, the New York Times reported.

The Guardian said the man was walking in an area that was closed to visitors due to recent volcanic activity. Italian firefighters were quoted by both outlets as responding to the incident, though the details of the rescue operation remain limited in the international coverage.

The death comes as Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano, continues to erupt, sending plumes of ash into the sky and forcing the repeated closure of Catania airport during the peak summer holiday season, according to Deutsche Welle and Euronews.