In an unbelievable stroke of bad luck, a lightning bolt struck a Peruvian soccer field, killing one player and injuring numerous others. The dreadful incident was captured on film, showing the exact moment the players were struck down.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The soccer game between Juventud Bellavista and Familia Chocca was already being called off early due to a storm warning. Playing at high altitude is always a high-risk event and the Coto Coto stadium sits relatively high above sea level. As players made their way off the soccer field, a lightning strike hit one of the men directly.
Instantly, he and several other players drop to the ground. They each become completely rigid and collapse like solid boards. The lightning strike travels through the floor, electrocuting everyone in the vicinity.
The video shows how the lightning was a direct strike on one soccer player, missing another by mere inches. Sadly, Jose Hugo de la Cruz Meza, a 39-year-old defender, was instantly killed by the shock. However, goalkeeper Juan Chocca Llacta, 40, survived despite being stood directly beside the defender. He has suffered severe burns.
Lightning Dropped Soccer Players Like Dominos
The video shows the lightning striking the soccer field, and almost all the players in the shot falling to the ground. Evidently, as the lightning struck, it traveled through the ground, shocking all the players close by.
The other players affected by the strike were also hospitalized. A 24-year-old man and two teenagers were taken into care after the incident, but they are said to be in stable condition.
This kind of situation can be avoided in the future, with some simple precautions. At lightning-prone soccer fields, extra care must be taken. Lucho Duarte, an engineer who filmed the event, commented "We need to implement protective systems in sports installations and security protocols involving the immediate suspension of activities during storms." He believes adding lightning rods would drastically reduce the chances of further lightning strikes on soccer fields.
Sadly, this isn't the first case in a high-altitude region. It is a clear indicator that open-air soccer fields need much more safety in place. Often, these storms can come from seemingly nowhere, and end up being fatal.
