Agia Agathi beach: British man, 26 ‘struck by lightning’ while paddle boarding in Rhodes, Greece dies

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
A British man has died after being reportedly hit by lightning whilst paddle boarding in Greece

A British man has died after he was reportedly hit by lightning while paddleboarding in Greece. The 26-year-old was in the sea during a thunderstorm in Agia Agathi, Rhodes, as his girlfriend watched on from the beach, local media outlets report.

Some reports said he had been swimming at the time, rather than paddleboarding. An investigation is now under way into the incident, which is believed to have happened shortly before 2pm on Monday (May 29) local time (12pm UK time).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rodiaki, a Greek newspaper reported that lightning struck the water near the paddleboarder, causing him to fall in the sea injured. The Port Authority of Rhodes confirmed the man’s age and that he was a British national but would give no further information.

A spokesperson said: "This is an active case so we cannot give more details at the moment."

The newspaper stated a Brazilian footballer who plays for a local side, waded into the sea to pull the man back to shore. Medics then took him to hospital before he was declared dead, the publication added.

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."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

According to the swimming website oceanswims.com, when lightning strikes water the electric charge doesn’t penetrate deep into the water, but rather, it spreads across the surface, dispersing horizontally.

Fatal crash


edited:habibur rahmanFatal crash


edited:habibur rahman
Fatal crash edited:habibur rahman

"This electric charge can travel as little as 10m or as much as 100m or more, depending on the power of the lightning bolt itself," it added.

"From a swimmers’ point of view, this means the bolt of lightning doesn’t have to hit you directly for it to cause harm."

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1838
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice