'I saw smoke coming from his body': Boy devastated by cousin's death in lightning strike

What began as a casual after-school fishing trip at an irrigation ditch turned into a tragedy when lightning struck four boys, killing one of them, Ziad Zikri Abdul Hadi, yesterday afternoon in Pasir Mas, Kelantan.

It was reported that the 14-year-old student died at the scene in Kampung Tasek Berangan before his body was brought to the Pasir Mas Hospital.

His cousin, Haziq Qayyum Rosli, 12, who was also injured in the incident, said the four of them had arrived at the paddy field at about 4pm. However, when heavy rain began, he urged Ziad and their other friends to leave.

“Ziad asked us to be patient as we had just arrived and he had only caught two fish,” Haziq was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.

He said Ziad only agreed to leave when the rain grew heavier. However, as they walked toward their motorcycles, a powerful lightning strike knocked the group to the ground.

“I saw smoke coming from Ziad’s body. We then ran home to inform Ziad’s father,” he said, adding that he initially thought his cousin had only fainted.

Haziq, who sustained an injury to his shoulder, said he was devastated by the incident as the four of them were close friends who often fished together in the area.

The Malay daily reported that Ziad’s father, Abdul Hadi Abdul Ghani rushed to the scene, about 2km from their home, after being informed that his youngest child had been struck by lightning.

When he arrived, his other children were already there and had tried to wake Ziad, but to no avail.

“I cradled his body, but my son had already died,” the 60-year-old said.

Hadi said his family accepted the sudden loss as God’s will, describing Ziad as a good son who enjoyed fishing and catching birds.