A Thai footballer was killed after lightning struck a football pitch in Sungai Golok, Narathiwat province, Thailand, on Tuesday evening, August 4. The incident occurred during a semi-final match of the Golok FA Cup tournament at Santiphap Stadium around 5:30pm local time.
The deceased has been identified as 24-year-old Sofwan Awae, a winger for the third-tier semi-professional club Yala FC. Awae, who previously played for Pattani FC and had signed with Yala FC only days before the incident, was playing for the Abu x Nong Sirin team during the match.
The match involved Abu x Nong Sirin and SAMCOLT, a mixed team of Thai and Malaysian players. Sungai Golok Police Chief Thun Sirikhunt stated that the incident occurred amidst heavy rain and strong winds.
Injuries and casualties
According to reports, 12 people were injured in the lightning strike, including 22-year-old Malaysian player Mohammad Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli, who was playing for SAMCOLT. While some reports indicate nine players were injured, others state the number of injured is 12. The injured players were sent to Sungai Golok Hospital for treatment.
The Football Association of Thailand and the management of Yala FC have both issued messages of condolences to the family of Sofwan Awae and the football club.
Updates
Sungai Golok police chief Thun Sirikhunt confirmed the incident occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time during the Golok FA Cup semi-final match in Narathiwat province. Among the injured, 22-year-old Malaysian player Mohammad Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli, playing for SAMCOLT, was identified as one of the victims. While some reports suggest Sofwan Awae was playing for Abu x Nong Sirin, there are conflicting claims regarding his team affiliation.
According to police chief Thun Sirikhunt, the incident occurred around 5:30 pm local time during a heavy rainstorm at the Golok FA Cup semi-final in Narathiwat's Sungai Golok district. One of those injured has been identified as 22-year-old Malaysian player Mohammad Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli from SAMCOLT. While there are conflicting reports regarding his team, some sources state Sofwan Awae was playing for Abu x Nong Sirin.
The incident occurred during a Golok FA Cup semi-final match at Santiphap Stadium in Narathiwat's Sungai Golok district at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time. Among the injured is 22-year-old Malaysian player Mohammad Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli, who was playing for SAMCOLT. While there are conflicting reports regarding his team, some sources indicate Sofwan Awae was representing Abu x Nong Sirin.
The lightning strike occurred around 5:30pm local time during a Golok FA Cup semi-final match at Santiphap Stadium in Narathiwat province. Among the injured, 22-year-old Malaysian player Mohammad Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli of SAMCOLT was identified, while conflicting reports suggest Sofwan Awae was playing for the Abu x Nong Sirin team.
