British man, 26, dies after being ‘struck by lightning while paddleboarding’ in Greece
Lightning reportedly struck the water close to the man, causing him to fall in the sea
The unnamed 26-year-old was in the sea off the beach in Agia Agathi, Rhodes, as his girlfriend filmed him from the beach, according to local media.
Greek newspaper Rodiaki reported that lightning struck the water close to the man shortly before 1.30pm local time on Tuesday (30 May), causing him to fall in the water injured.
The news outlet said a passer-by, who it named as a Brazilian footballer who plays for a local site, then waded into the water to pull the man back to shore. The newspaper says medics then took the man to a local hospital before he was declared dead.
The Port Authority of Rhodes has confirmed the man was 26 and a British national, but has not provided any further information about the incident.
A spokesperson said: “This is an active case so we cannot give more details at the moment.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Rhodes and are in contact with local authorities.”
According to OceanToday, lightning striking the ocean is less common than strikes on land. But when lightning does hit water it spreads out, which acts as a conductor. This means it can hit nearby boats and eletrocute fish that are close to the surface.
It is advised that if you hear thunder or see lightning while at the beach, you should get out of the water as soon as possible and take shelter inside.