Indonesian Footballer Dies on the Field After Being Struck by Lightning

A football player was struck by lightning during a match in Indonesia which resulted in the player’s death despite several attempts at resuscitation. The incident took place on Saturday, February 10, during the friendly match between FLO FC Bandung and FBI Subang.

According to reports from the local media outlet, PRFMNEWS, the player was on the field during the fixture as he got struck by lightning. The victim immediately collapsed on the field and the other players rushed in to take him to the sidelines.

The report also mentioned that the victim was still alive and breathing with his jersey being burnt due to the lightning strike. He was then rushed to the Sariningsih Hospital in Bandung, Indonesia where he was declared dead.

(This video could be triggering for some readers. Viewer discretion is advised.) 

The man is reportedly identified as Septain Rahaja, a 30-year-old man who is from Subang, Java met with an untimely demise. Videos were being circulated on X which showed the moment that the player got struck by lightning.

Earlier in November 2023, another football player who was competing in the Soeratin Cup which took place at Bojonegoro, East Java, was also struck by lightning which resulted in the player losing consciousness. Luckily, the young player was able to regain his consciousness after the hospital staff’s attempts at resuscitating the young boy.

READ MORE: Sumit Nagal First Indian Since 2019 to Break Into Top-100 of ATP Rankings 

25 years ago in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 11 people including both players and members of the audience, lost their lives to the lightning strike as well. In addition to this, another 30 people who were at the game suffered burns. Bena Tshadi were drawing 1-1 with Basanga as the match took place in the Kasai province. 11 members of the Bena Tshadi side were killed in the incident while players in the opposing team came out unscathed.

READ MORE: ‘All he Does is Run, Eat, Sleep’: Kelvin Kiptum, The Eternal Marathon Star 

Despite the incidents not being a regular occurrence, such incidents showcase the issues of playing football under extreme weather conditions and the lack of facilities for the smaller sides to tackle such issues.