Football Player Dies After Being Struck By Lightning

ALOR GAJAH: A football player died after being believed to have been struck by lightning while playing in a friendly match at the Rakan Muda Lendu Complex field here yesterday evening.

In the incident which occurred at around 5.40 p.m., the victim, R. Thanesh, 28, was confirmed dead while receiving treatment at the Emergency Ward of Alor Gajah Hospital.

Alor Gajah District Police Chief, Superintendent Ahmad Abu Bakar, said that the incident was reported by the hospital at 8.50 p.m., informing that a man had been brought in unconscious after being believed to have been struck by lightning.

According to him, preliminary investigations found that the victim had participated in a friendly match between Rembau Indian Veteran FC and Tanjung Minyak FC, which began at around 5.30 p.m.

“Approximately 10 minutes after the match started, the weather began to drizzle and a loud thunderclap was heard. The victim’s teammates then saw the deceased together with two other individuals collapse on the field,” he told reporters here today.

He said that the victim was taken to Alor Gajah Hospital by public transport in an unconscious state before being confirmed dead while receiving treatment.

He added that a match referee was also involved in the incident and was sent to the hospital by ambulance for treatment.

“Initial examination on the victim’s body did not find any criminal elements, but there were burn marks from the toes up to the left thigh.

“The victim also suffered burn marks on the lower left abdomen, as well as blackening marks on the back of the body up to the buttocks area and bleeding from the right ear,” he said, while informing that the case has been classified as sudden death (SDR).

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