Lightning Strike Kills Soccer Player, Injures Four During Match in Peru
A lightning strike during a local league soccer match in central Peru claimed the life of one player and injured four others on Sunday, CNN reports.
The incident occurred at Coto Coto stadium in Chilca, about 70 kilometers southeast of Lima, during a match between local teams Juventud Bellavista and Familia Chocca.
Footage of the match, broadcast by local TV station Onda Deportiva Huancavelic, shows players walking off the pitch after the game was paused due to a storm. As they approached the sidelines, a bolt of lightning struck the field, sending several players crashing to the ground. A brief spark and a small cloud of smoke were seen near one of the players, according to the footage.
Authorities identified the deceased player as 39-year-old defender Hugo De La Cruz. The local municipality expressed their condolences to De La Cruz’s family and wished a speedy recovery to the injured players. “We join in solidarity and extend our sincere condolences to the family of young Hugo De La Cruz, who, after being struck by lightning, unfortunately lost his life while being taken to the hospital,” the statement said.
As of Monday evening, two of the injured players have been discharged from the hospital, while two remain under observation. A goalkeeper, who was critically injured, has shown signs of improvement.
The regional government of Junín has yet to comment on the incident. CNN has reached out for further information.
Lightning strikes are a serious threat, capable of causing severe injuries and, in rare cases, fatalities. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that the chance of being struck by lightning is less than one in a million. While almost 90% of lightning strike victims survive, the effects can be long-lasting and debilitating, including burns, seizures, and memory loss.
