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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Miriam Burrell

British woman fights for life after being struck by lightning in Croatia

The incident happened in Split, Croatia

(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

A British mother is fighting for her life after being struck by lightning while sunbathing near popular holiday spot Split, in Croatia.

The woman was taken to a local hospital where she is now in a critical condition with serious head injuries and burns, the MailOnline reports.

The 48-year-old had been sunbathing with her daughter on Kašjuni Beach before the weather turned and a storm rolled in on Saturday afternoon.

It is reported that doctors believe the lightning struck the woman’s necklace.

She was treated at the scene by a paramedic who was on hand from the Marjenski Dir triathlon and had been dealing with a nearby bike accident.

“The woman received medical assistance at the scene and was transported to the hospital where she was kept for further treatment, her life is in danger,” local police said in a statement.

Waiters at a nearby bar, Joe’s, told the MailOnline the sky turned black as the thunderstorm suddenly rolled in.

They described seeing “really bright flashes” and “then at one point there was a massive bang and a lightning flash at the same time and I looked out and saw the woman on the floor and her daughter with her”.

Kasjuni Beach is located on the peninsula of Marjan, 3.6km southeast of Split.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are providing support to the family of a British national in Croatia and are in contact with the local authorities.”

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