Tourist killed by lightning strike on Mount Etna while hiking in restricted area

Eruptive activity continues on Mount Etna, where lava flows continue to descend on the slopes of the volcano (Salvatore Allegra/AP)

An American tourist was killed by a lightning strike on Sicily’s Mount Etna while hiking in an area that was closed to visitors due to recent volcanic activity, Italian firefighters have said.

The 29-year-old man from Kansas was rescued by helicopter after being struck on Sunday evening in an exposed area above the tree line.

He was later declared dead by medical personnel.

Authorities have closed vast areas of the volcano’s slope to hikers due to the volcano’s prolonged activity – which forced the closure of the airport in nearby Catania for most of last week.

Officials said that more people have died on Etna from lightning strikes over recent decades than from volcanic activity.

The last eruption-related fatalities on Europe’s most active volcano were in 1987.