Not to make light—or lightning, I guess—of a man’s death, but when an active volcano known for spewing molten rock and ash and occasionally producing volcanic lightning has signs telling people to please be careful because the area is experiencing intense volcanic activity, it’s probably best to abide by the sign’s wisdom.
According to the Associated Press, a 29-year-old Kansas man died Sunday after being struck by lightning while hiking on Sicily’s Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano.
Rescuers found the man alone in an exposed area around 4,600 feet above sea level. He was airlifted to a hospital in Catania in cardiac arrest and was later pronounced dead. His name has not been released.
Kansas Man Dies After Being Struck by Lightning on Mount Etna
Local authorities had restricted access to parts of the volcano because of recent heightened activity, some of which, namely its volcanic ash, had disrupted flights at nearby Catania Airport. The area where the man was reportedly found, Valle del Bove, had been closed to hikers, according to local fire officials.
The source of the lightning is up for debate. Weather forecasts had predicted thunderstorms in Sicily on Sunday, but lightning can also be generated by volcanic eruptions, which create electrical charges when ash particles collide, creating terrifying electrical bolts nestled within the ominous dark plumes billowing out of a vent. Officials say that more people have died from lightning strikes on Etna in recent decades than from the volcano itself.
The last time someone died from an eruption-related incident was in 1987.
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