Mount Etna to widespread reports of up to 15,000 (or even 20,000) human fatalities caused by the lava, contemporaneous accounts written both in Italian and English mention no deaths related to the 1669 eruption (but give very precise figures of the number of buildings destroyed, the area of cultivated land lost, and the economic damage). Therefore, it is uncertain where the enormous number of fatalities can be attributed. One possibility is confusion between this eruption and an earthquake that devastated southeast Sicily (including Catania) 24 years later in 1693. A study on the damage and fatalities caused by eruptions of Etna in
French corvette Etna (1795) morning by and , which she tried to distance. "Melampus" came within range around 15:30 "Etna" resisted for two hours before striking her colours as joined the battle. The "London Gazette" reported that on 13 November and drove a French navy corvette ashore near Barfleur. However the British were not able to get close enough to assure her destruction. Then "Melampus" and captured another corvette, which was the "Etna". "Etna" was armed with eighteen 12-pounder guns and had a crew of 137 men under the command of Citizen Joseph La Coudrais. The prisoners stated that both corvettes were carrying military