Shocking footage has shown the horrifying moment an 8-year-old boy was struck by lightning while spending time at the beach in New South Wales, Australia.
8-Year-Old Boy Struck By Lightning On Beach In 'Extreme Freak Accident' Caught On Video
By
Zainab Pervez in
News
On 31st January 2023
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Terrifying footage shows the moment an eight-year-old boy was struck by a lightning bolt while swimming at a beach on Australia Day - leaving him with horrific injuries. The little boy was hit by the strike at Barrack Point in Shellharbour on the NSW south coast at 5.30pm on Thursday, while enjoying a family day out at the beach.
The video shows the boy walking out into the water with his parents and younger brother. Moments later lightning strikes and he suddenly crumples. The boy was rushed to The Children's Hospital at Westmead and is in a critical but stable condition.
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"It was just like a shock out of nowhere and at the time I looked out to the inlet and everyone was unaware of what had occurred," a witness Simon Young told 9News.
"A young child just fell to the ground in the water and his family and siblings ran to his aid to grab him as fast as possible."
The schoolboy was dragged to the sand and Shellharbour Surf Life Savers immediately responded.
"We had been monitoring a storm cell that was moving over Wollongong but still hadn't reached us yet," Lifeguard Byron Vinkovic who was first on the scene said.
"All six lifeguards did an absolutely amazing job. It was a rapid response from lifeguards and emergency services. I could not praise them enough."
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The boy had scars and burns on his chest when he was pulled unconscious and not breathing from the water. Fellow lifeguard Chris Holme said it was a "one in a million" situation.
"All our hearts go out to the young boy and their family and hope they are on the road to recovery."
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It is understood the boy is English with his family only arriving in Australia a week ago.
One million Australians had flocked to the state's beaches to celebrate their national holiday, leading to Surf Live Saving NSW dealing with '41 major incidents'.
According to Australia Wide First Aid, over a hundred Australians are struck by lightning on a yearly basis, with five to ten people dying as a result.