Amateur soccer player killed by lightning in Denmark

A young teenage soccer player of 17 was fatally hit by lightning during an amateur game in Denmark, police said.

Photo: Amateur soccer player killed by lightning in Denmark

The victim, whose name was not immediately released, died early Monday, AP reports.

Lightning hit the teenager while he was playing for Ulfborg against Maabjerg at a tournament in northwestern Denmark on Saturday. Nine other players were knocked over.

"There were no clouds on the sky. Only a black cloud far away," Maabjerg goalie Kasper Stoettrup told the daily Dagbladet Holstebro Struer. "Suddenly he was just hit. Out of nothing."

Paramedics revived the teenager who had severe burns and rushed him to the hospital with four other players. They have since been discharged.

The lightning struck 10 minutes before the final whistle and the game was canceled.

The game was played in Ulfborg, 330 kilometers (205 miles) northwest of Copenhagen.

Several matches in Denmark's top SAS League tournament were canceled or stopped at the weekend because of heavy rain and thunder.