In a tragic incident in a football match, an Indonesian player died on the pitch after getting struck by lightning. The tragedy happened during the match between 2 FLO FC Bandung and FBI Subang at Siliwangi Stadium in Bandung, West Java.
The exact moment of the incident was also captured on camera. The victim was identified as Septain Raharja, a 35-year-old footballer of Subang. The player fell on the ground after the impact as the other footballers rushed to see him. As per Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, the cloud that produced the lightning was 300m above at the time of the impact.
Raharja was still breathing after the incident and was rushed to a local hospital, local media outlet PRFM News informed. But he soon succumbed to the burns. Many teams mourned the death of the footballer.
Watch the horrific incident:
Users on social media were also shocked to know the news. "Sad to hear about the Indonesian footballer who died after being struck by lightning during a match, my thoughts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time," a user wrote on X.
"Struck by lightning right in the middle of the match. The incident occurred at the Silivangi stadium. The 30-year-old footballer passed away in the hospital in Indonesia. Some cursed place, it's not the first time lightning has struck there," another wrote on the social media platform.
This is not the first such incident in Indonesian football. Last year during the Soeratin U-13 Cup in 2023, a young football player lost his life in Bojonegoro in East Java after getting hit by lightning. Notably, a Brazilian 21-year-old footballer also died due to a similar reason in 2023 in Brazil.
As per the refereeing rulebook, the match referee holds the interpretation of poor weather. Four years back in the Netherlands, all matches on February 8, 2020, were suspended due to high winds. The Royal Netherlands Football Association had discussions with clubs, police, and municipalities and it later "concluded that because of the expected weather conditions the safety of supporters and players cannot be guaranteed."
