While climbing the southern side of the Mount Etna volcano in Sicily, an American tourist has died, according to the alpine rescue service. The reason for his death remains unclear but other tourists are warned about the dangers of participating in such expeditions.
According to the rescue service, the 55 year-old American man fell ill during his ascend of the volcano, possibly due to heath stroke. Once the rescue team and an air ambulance reached the remote location, they weren’t able the resuscitate the tourist and he was declared dead at the scene. Official instances are now warning other tourists to be wary of the current high temperatures in Sicily, while also taking the high humidity levels and the altitude into account.
“Tourists who participate in these excursions should not underestimate the risks related to high temperatures, strong humidity, and the sudden jump in altitude”, said Alfio Ferrara, a spokesman for the alpine rescue service. “Often they agree to take part in these excursions that reach 2,000 to 2,300 meters in altitude, after spending the day at the beach.”
Even though Sicily is usuallly experiencing high temperatures in the summer, the current heatwave striking the island is making the conditions even more difficult, with an ongoing drought currently exposing it to greater wildfire risks than usual. Tourists can still travel safely to the destination and most attractions are functioning normally. However, officials are warning anyone visiting the island to drink plenty of water, to stay out of the sun during the hottest hours of the day and to immediately seek medical attention when feeling unwell.
Aside from being a popular trek destination, Mount Etna is also one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The last five years in particular have seen a fair amount of eruptions. Since the beginning of July, the volcano is once again showing heavy signs of activity. On Thursday 4 July, ash plumes from Europe’s highest active volcano were reaching altitudes of 4.5 kilometres, causing multiple flight delays. Since 10 July, new signs of activity have been noted, with volcanic tremors and a sudden ash emission from the north-east crater.
However, despite its more than 200 craters, lava from Mount Etna hasn’t reached any nearby towns since the 1800’s. Ashes do occasionally cause some disturbances and, during an eruption, the local Catania Airport usually shuts down for a couple of hours. Many hiking trails are still safe to walk on even during an eruption, as long as you are accompanied qualified local mountain guide.
