U.S. tourist killed by lightning strike while hiking Sicily’s Mount Etna

An American tourist was killed after being struck by lightning while hiking Sicily’s Mount Etna following a period of volcanic activity, Italian firefighters said Monday. The 29-year-old man from Kansas was found and transported to hospital by helicopter crew after being struck on Sunday evening in a prohibited area on Mount Etna’s eastern slope, authorities told The Associated Press.He was later declared dead by medical personnel. His name was not released as next-of-kin is still being notified.The man was found at about 4,600 feet in the Rocca Capra area. 3:02 Mount Etna eruption: Drone video shows stunning close-up of lava flow Authorities have closed areas of the volcano’s slope to hikers due to prolonged volcanic activity, which forced the closure of the airport in Catania for most of last week. Story continues below advertisement Planes were re-routed to other airports following the closure and Catania airport resumed flights on Saturday after the volcanic alert was downgraded. Get daily National news Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you'll never miss the day's top stories. Officials said that lightning strikes have killed more people on Mount Etna in recent d...