A Peruvian soccer player is dead after being struck by lightning during a match.
Jose Hugo de la Cruz Meza was playing in a televised Game between Juventud Bellavista and Familia Chocca in Peru’s central region on Sunday, November 3, when the defender was struck and instantly killed, according to The Telegraph.
De la Cruz Meza was 39 years old.
The match had been suspended due to inclement weather just moments before the lightning strike, which was captured on video.
Juan Chocca Llacta, a goalkeeper who was standing in de la Cruz Meza’s immediate vicinity, was also injured and is being treated for serious burns at a local hospital.
Peruvian authorities believe de la Cruz Meza may have been struck because of a metal bracelet he was wearing on the field.
“It was like a magnet,” Cesar Ramos, who is in charge of civil defense in the region, told The Telegraph.
Three other individuals — ages 24, 16 and 14 — were also taken to the hospital where they remain in stable condition.
In the video, eight players can be seen immediately dropping to the ground when the lighting strikes. The unharmed individuals were then seen racing off the field to safety.
Once the weather cleared, scorch marks could be seen on the field where de la Cruz Meza was hit. The rest of the Game was immediately canceled.
There have long been concerns about soccer being played in Huancayo, the high-altitude location of the Game. In 2014, lighting struck 21-year-old Joao Contreras in the middle of a Game, leaving him with second-degree burns. Contreras ultimately survived.
Lucho Duarte, a Peruvian engineer, called on new safety precautions to be introduced in the wake of the latest tragic incident.
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In addition to the implementation of “lightning rod systems in Sports facilities,” Duarte said it is vital to “educate the population about protection measures.”
“As professionals, we must promote a culture of prevention and guarantee safety in open spaces. 💪 #Responsibility #NoMoreTragedies,” Duarte concluded.
