November 05, (THEWILL) – A devastating lightning strike at a football match in Peru, claimed the life of a 39-year-old player and left four others injured during a local league game on Sunday. The incident occurred at Coto Coto stadium in Chilca, situated 70 kilometres southeast of Lima, when severe weather conditions interrupted play.
Local defender Hugo De La Cruz lost his life following the strike during the 22nd minute of the match between Juventud Bellavista and Familia Chocca. Television footage from Onda Deportiva Huancavelic captured the moment several players fell to the ground, with a brief spark and smoke visible near one individual.
Medical authorities report that two players have received treatment and been discharged, whilst two others remain under observation. The goalkeeper, who sustained critical injuries, has demonstrated signs of improvement according to state news agency Andina. The regional government department of Junín has not released an official statement regarding the incident.
The local municipality stated: “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.” Statistics from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that lightning strikes affect less than one in a million individuals, with approximately 90% of victims surviving such incidents.
Similar incidents in football have occurred previously, including a 2020 case where a Russian goalkeeper survived a direct lightning strike during training. Despite requiring induced coma treatment for severe burns, the 16-year-old player achieved full recovery within weeks of the incident.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
