INDONESIA: In a shocking incident, a footballer was tragically hit by lightning while playing a match was allegedly killed on spot.
The deceased has been identified as Septain Raharja who hailed from Subang in Indonesia.
The incident occurred during a friendly match between 2 FLO Bandung and FBI Suband at Siliwangi stadium in Bandung, West Java.
Reportedly, the victim was still breathing after being struck by lightning and was rushed to a local hospital, but was declared dead by the doctors.
In a video that has gone viral in social media, it can be seen that the 35-year-old footballer was casually walking on the field, when lightning struck him and the player collapsed on the field.
According to a statement from the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatologist, and Geophysical Agency, the lightning bolt originated merely 300 meters above the stadium before it hit the striker. Following the incident, many people in the stadium dropped to the ground in fear the lightning’s threat to their lives.
In December last year, a similar incident occurred on a football ground in Brazil where a lightning strike claimed a life of one player and six others were left injured.
During a football tournament in Hertford on October, a 12-year-old boy was left in critical condition and a man was severely injured after being struck by lightning. The tournament was later cancelled due to the stormy weather and the teams were leaving the pitch when lightning struck them.
The 21-year-old athlete collapsed on the field following which he was rushed to a hospital, but was declared dead shortly after.
Another such heartbreaking incident occurred in August 2023, when a young footballer was fatally struck by lightning in Managua, Nicaragua.
During a football match in Hazari village in Gomia district of Jharkhand, India, tragedy struck in August 2022, when a 19-year-old identified as Vishant, lost his life due to lightning.
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