Parents and lad, 11, die at volcanic site

THREE family members visiting a volcanic field near Naples have died after an 11-year-old boy entered an off-limits area and his parents followed to try to rescue him.

Police said the boy apparently slipped after he breached a fence surrounding the prohibited area at the Solfatara Crater in Pozzuoli, Italy.

A seven-year-old boy who is a member of the same Italian family was nearby but remained outside the fence.

It was not immediately clear if the 11-year-old and his parents were overcome by gases or were killed as the result of an explosion of super-heated mud.

Heavy rain in recent days may have played a role by creating more openings in the volcanic field’s surface.