[Loop1]

A Belgian National living in Melbourne, Australia was struck by lightning while holidaying in Bali, Indonesia.

November 7, 2017

A former Belgium professional footballer was killed in a freak accident after being struck by lightning as he learned how to surf.

The victim, 34, had spells with Standard Liege, Genk and Royal Antwerp, and captained Belgium at youth level.

He retired in 2011 and moved to Melbourne in Australia with his girlfriend before visiting Bali last week to fulfill his dream of learning to surf.

The victim paddled out with his instructor on Sunday afternoon - despite grey clouds and light drizzle overhead at the Batu Bolong beach in the Canggu district.

At around 2:15 pm horrified witnesses described seeing a massive bolt of lightning unexpectedly tear down from the sky and hit the footballer close to the shore.

The 34-year-old died instantly.

An eyewitness said he saw the victim and his instructor in the water as the lightning hit them.

He said, "They were finishing their session and sitting up on their boards. Both men fell off their boards and sank into the water."

Locals pulled the two men from water before an ambulance rushed them to hospital at around 2:45 pm.

Police said that they believed the victim was killed instantly after being hit by the lightning.

They said that the victim’s chest had turned blue and his instructor's left thigh also turned blue, believed to be from bruising.

A devastated friend paid tribute to the victim who was always "smiling and joking.”

“He was a marvelous person who lived every day like it was the last,” his friend said.

“He was always smiling and joking. A very nice guy. He was in Bali for holidays with his girlfriend. This is a tragedy."

Johannes H. Widya Nainggolan from the North Kuta Police Headquarters said it was drizzling and the clouds were pretty dark.

"The victims were suddenly struck by lightning and died on the spot."

The footballer captained the Belgium U18 national team and went on to play for Bregenz in the Austrian Bundesliga as well as for Perugia and and Torres Sassari in Italy.

He finished playing professionally in 2011 aged 27 and moved to Australia for a new life where he set up home with his girlfriend.

[Loop1]

A look back on his life and career.

[Bletch]

Extremely bad luck

[Wren]

Getting taken out by lightning is the ultimate send off. It's fast, it leaves zero room for questions, there are no whys or what ifs to argue or rationalize.

You're simply fucked.

[Zeeta]

Handsome dude.

[bread&butter]

R.I.P. dude.

[LrlynJy]

When you got to go, you got to go

[DarkAngelEdge]

50000 miles of coastline around Australia and he goes to Bali to learn how to surf.

[spudigitti]

Innit

[Humbubba]

At least he died when doing something he loved. RIP