US tourist dies after sudden illness on Sicily’s Mount Etna, rescue workers say

A 55-year-old US tourist fell ill and died during an excursion on the south side of Mount Etna in Sicily, the Italian mountain rescue service said on Friday.

Rescue workers said the cause of his illness was still unknown, but warned that the high temperatures and humidity could be dangerous for tourists who are not normally specially prepared for such excursions.

After the alarm was raised on Thursday afternoon, mountain rescue and an ambulance plane reached the man in a remote area.

Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful and he was declared dead at the scene of the accident. His body was then taken to the nearest rest stop and transferred to a hospital morgue, rescue workers said.

“Tourists who take part in such excursions should not underestimate the risks associated with high temperatures, high humidity and sudden changes in altitude,” said Alfio Ferrara, a spokesman for the Alpine Rescue Service.

“They often agree to take part in these excursions at altitudes between 2,000 and 2,300 metres after spending the day at the beach,” he added.

On Thursday, temperatures on Etna were estimated at 77 to 82 degrees, Ferrara said. Italian authorities had issued a red weather warning in seven cities on Thursday, mainly in the central parts of the country.

They warned that the heat would be exacerbated by the humidity and could affect both healthy and weakened people.

The activity of Mount Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano, has increased significantly in the past week.