Thousands of ‘danger tourists’ have travelled to the slopes of Mount Etna in Italy to witness explosive lava flows and breathtaking ash clouds after its latest eruption. Sicily’s iconic volcano, which is the tallest and most active in Europe,

Restrictions require tourists to stay at least 500 meters away from the lava flow but images and videos show people routinely flouting the rules.

Tourists climbing Sicily's Mount Etna volcano at night in sneakers and light clothing to get a close-up view of an ongoing eruption may be risking their lives, rescuers warned on Friday.

Despite restrictions being in place to keep visitors away from the eruption site, many are choosing to ignore the warnings

A week of spectacular lava sprays on Sicily’s snow-capped Mount Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanos, has drawn thousands of people wanting to see the eruption. But the sudden influx of sightseers has become a safety risk, according to Salvo Cocina, head of Sicily’s regional Civil Protection agency.

The latest eruption of Mount Etna has drawn crowds of tourists to the region, which have congested streets and paths for rescue workers.

A lot of people are trying to get closer to admire this natural phenomenon,” a local mayor warned his community. “But it is extremely dangerous!”

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