Lightning during match in El Salvador kills a football player

SAN SALVADOR - One soccer player died and another was injured when they were hit by lightning while playing a match in a town in eastern El Salvador, authorities said.

David Zaldivar Tobar, 21, died when he was hit by the lightning bolt Sunday and another player, identified as David Saravia, was taken to the San Juan de Dios hospital in the city of San Miguel.

According to YSKL Radio, Zaldivar actually played for Atletico Morazan, a Salvadoran 3rd Division team, but when he was not called to play in Sunday’s match he decided to take the field with El Divisadero, from the same-named town.

The two players were on the field with a light rain falling when they were struck by the lightning bolt, sources said.

In June, two members of the local soccer team in an eastern Salvadoran village also lost their lives when they were struck by lightning.

–EFE