Soccer player killed by lightning strike during match in Peru

LIMA, Peru -- A lighting strike during a local league soccer match in central Peru killed one player and injured four others on Sunday.

Footage of the match showed players walking off the pitch at Coto Coto stadium in the town of Chilca, about 70 kilometers southeast of Lima, after the game had been paused due to a storm.

Several players were seen falling face first to the ground as lightning struck the field. A brief spark and a small cloud of smoke were seen near one of the players, a broadcast on local TV station Onda Deportiva Huancavelic showed.

Seconds later, a few players appeared to struggle to get back up.

The deceased player was identified by authorities and state media as defender Hugo De La Cruz, 39, following the incident in the 22nd minute of the match between local teams Juventud Bellavista and Familia Chocca.

"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 local municipality said a statement. "We also express our support and wishes for a speedy recovery to the other four players injured in this tragic accident."

The image below shows the moment before the lightning struck.

As of Monday evening, two players had been discharged from the hospital, while two remain under observation, state news agency Andina reported. A goalkeeper injured in the incident was in critical condition but had shown improvement, it said.

The regional government, the department of Junín, has not commented on the incident. CNN has reached out for more information.

Lightning strikes can cause severe injury to humans and, in rare cases, can be fatal.

The chance of being struck is less than one in a million, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Almost 90% of all lightning strike victims survive, according to the CDC, but the effects can be serious and long-lasting. Survivors have experienced debilitating injuries, burns and symptoms including seizures and memory loss.

In 2020, a 16-year-old Russian goalkeeper survived a lightning strike during a training session. Footage of the freak incident showed the teenager was hit by the bolt as he went to kick a ball into the goal, while his teammates trained near the touchline.

Though he suffered severe burns and doctors put him into an induced coma, the teenager made a remarkable recovery weeks later.

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