Soldier rushed to hospital after being str£ck by lightning at military base

A soldier has been seriously injured after being struck by lightning while standing next to a helicopter at a military base in Popayán, Colombia.

In footage from the incident, the soldier can be seen collapsing flat on his back and falling onto the grass immediately after the lightning strike. The incident occurred at around 3:45pm on Sunday, February 15, during a period of intense thunderstorms in the area.

At the time of the incident, the soldier was carrying out sentry and perimeter security duties for a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter when the lightning struck.

Reacting to the incident, authorities said: “he received immediate medical attention and is currently stable and recovering”.

Although his condition has stabilised, the soldier remains hospitalised as of the latest update on February 16.

A preliminary inspection revealed that the lightning strike also hit the aircraft, causing critical damage to the tail rotor. The military confirmed that the helicopter “remains out of operation while the corresponding technical assessment is carried out”.

Experts are now assessing whether any of the helicopter’s electronic systems were affected by the strike.

Military sources added: “The incident was solely due to adverse weather conditions and is not related to armed activity in the region,” they said.

See video below……..

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