Caught on Video: Freak Lightning Strike During Thai Football Cup Leaves One Dead and 12 in Hospital

A fatal lightning strike during a football tournament in southern Thailand killed 24-year-old winger Sofwan Awae and 12 other players were injured on Tuesday, even as video recordings captured the moments when the electrical charge struck the sports field.

The fatal incident unfolded at Santiphap Stadium in Narathiwat province as heavy rain lashed the venue during the Golok FA Cup semi-final between local clubs SAMCOLTS and Abu x Nong Sirin.

Emergency medical teams immediately rushed onto the field to administer first aid to the injured athletes before transporting them to the hospitals for further urgent care.

The latest disaster in Narathiwat province has drawn immediate comparisons with one of the sport's most infamous weather-related tragedies. In 1998, a lightning strike during a match in the Democratic Republic of Congo reportedly killed 11 players from a single team.

Freak Lightning Strike Halts Regional Football Tournament

The Golok FA Cup operates as a prominent regional cross-border football tournament explicitly designed to promote sporting ties between communities in Thailand's southern border provinces and neighbouring clubs from Malaysia.

Teams from Malaysian states, including Kelantan, frequently travel across the international border to participate in these highly anticipated fixtures, which hold significant local cultural importance.

The semi-final match was abruptly halted by a medical emergency as severe weather moved across the Sungai Golok area.

Videos circulating widely on social media platforms captured the exact moment the lightning strike hit the stadium grounds.

A lightning bolt struck near the centre of the pitch, followed by a loud explosion. The impact sent several players collapsing to the grass.

The raw footage appeared to show Awae's teammates quickly turning the unresponsive player onto his back. They attempted to resuscitate the young winger on the wet grass while waiting for trained medical personnel to arrive.

Players, club officials and stadium medical staff immediately rushed onto the field in a bid to help as the match referee formally abandoned the game to allow for a full medical response.

Authorities Detail the Aftermath

Police formally identified the primary victim as Sofwan Awae, a 24-year-old attacking winger for SAMCOLTS.

The young athlete had reportedly recently signed to join Thai third-division club Yala FC, marking a significant step in his sporting career.

Local police chief Thun Sirikhunt confirmed the tragic sequence of events to the press shortly after emergency responders cleared the stadium of all remaining players and coaching staff.

According to the police chief, Awae suffered critical injuries immediately upon impact and was rushed from the pitch to a nearby medical facility. Despite sustained and intensive efforts by emergency medical teams to save his life, the young footballer later succumbed to his extensive injuries in hospital.

Authorities confirmed that 12 other players sustained varying degrees of injury during the same electrical discharge. Paramedics transported them from the stadium to a regional hospital for immediate assessment and medical treatment.

Among those admitted was 22-year-old Malaysian footballer Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli, who remained under active medical supervision following the blast. Emergency services successfully secured the stadium grounds and triaged the wounded players as the severe weather persisted throughout the afternoon, bringing the tournament to a standstill.

Football Community Mourns the Tragedy

Following official confirmation of the young winger's death, tributes began pouring in from across the Southeast Asian football community.

Thai media outlets reported that Yala FC and the Football Association of Thailand released official statements expressing their profound condolences to his family, friends and grieving teammates.

Supporters flooded various social media platforms with messages honouring the young winger.

The heartbreaking incident has cast a heavy shadow over the entire Golok FA Cup.

The tournament has long served as a vital symbol of sporting friendship and cultural exchange between southern Thailand and Malaysia, drawing passionate fans from both sides of the border.

Although such extreme weather events at outdoor sporting venues remain relatively rare, they have resulted in devastating consequences on previous occasions.