Lightning struck football players in Peru during the match Source: Repro photo X/Mario Nawfal
LIMA – A lightning strike killed a 34-year-old soccer player and injured five others during a match between Juventus Bellavista and Familia Chocca, played on Sunday in Peru, about 70 kilometers from Lima.
As The Guardian news site reported today, referees stopped the match after the first lightning struck, but other players were struck as they left the pitch.
Two of the injured were released from hospital on Monday, two other footballers remain under observation and the last one is in critical condition but showing signs of improvement, according to doctors. According to experts, roughly 90 percent of people struck by lightning survive, but they can suffer severe burns and memory loss.
This is not the first time that lightning has struck football matches in Peru, but it is the first known case of a lightning strike claiming lives. However, similar tragedies have already happened around the world – in 2018, South African football player Luyanda Ntshangase died during a friendly match.
🚨🇵🇪LIGHTNING STRIKES SOCCER MATCH IN PERU
Jose Hugo de la Cruz Meza, 39, was killed instantly, and 5 players were injured during a regional tournament in Chilca.
Goalkeeper Juan Chocca Llacta, 40, also received a direct strike and was rushed to hospital in a taxi with serious… pic.twitter.com/7zdnwAoc8c
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) November 4, 2024
- Author: © List/
- VIDEO: X/Mario Nawfal
- Source: CTK
