Italy volcano eruption attracts thrill-seeking tourists and alarms authorities

Terrifying and beautiful at the same time. That is Italy's Mount Etna, and people can't seem to stay away from the allure of the bright orange lava spewing from the world's most active volcano in Sicily. The tourists getting authorities red hot while they coordinate rescues. The tallest volcano in Europe has been erupting for centuries, starting up again in February, rippling fiery red lava across the mountain's crater. Drone footage shows cascading plumes of volcanic gas rising. Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology is tracking lava as high as 300 meters above sea level, the town below attracting thousands of tourists to get a view of the spectacular sight. But the head of Sicily's Regional Protection Agency telling CNN the influx of people is becoming a safety risk, saying tourists are blocking rescue workers and ambulances from reaching the mountain and hiking up the narrow snowy roads without a guide. He said this week eight people were rescued after getting lost for several hours attempting to hike the mountain without any help. We reached out to the department for comment, but haven't heard back. Thousands of miles away, a massive eruption from Hawaii's second largest volcano has also been luring visitors. People flocking to the site just to get a glimpse of the fountaining lava erupting on and off since late December. For now, the volcano doesn't seem to be posing a safety risk for the visitors there. But at the snow-capped Bocca Nuova crater back in Italy, a few dozen flights had to be diverted due to the eruptions. Flights have since resumed. Skiers there getting dangerously close to the lava, defying the locals' calls to stay away. Quite a way to heat up the cold weather sport. Matt Bradley, NBC News. Thanks for watching. Stay updated about breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app, or follow us on social media.