Terrifying video shows young boy struck down by lightning

Terrifying footage shows moment an eight-year-old boy, eight was struck by a LIGHTNING BOLT while swimming at a beach on Australia Day – leaving him with horrific injuries

• A young boy was hit by lightning in NSW
• He was pulled from the ocean by lifesavers 
• He is in a critical but stable condition 

Horrendous footage has captured the moment a little boy was struck by lightning while enjoying a family day out at the beach.

The boy – believed to be aged eight – was hit by the strike at Barrack Point in Shellharbour on the NSW south coast at 5.30pm on Thursday.

A video shows the boy walking out into the water with his parents and younger brother. Moments later lightning strikes and he suddenly crumples.

It is understood the boy is English with his family only arriving in Australia a week ago.

A young boy – believed to be aged eight – was hit by lightning (above) at Barrack Point on NSW’s south coast on Thursday

The boy was rushed to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and is in a critical but stable condition. 

‘It was just like a shock out of nowhere and at the time I looked out to the inlet and everyone was unaware of what had occurred,’ a witness Simon Young told 9News.

‘A young child just fell to the ground in the water and his family and siblings ran to his aid to grab him as fast as possible.’

A witness said they heard the lightning strike before turning around to see the injured boy being cradled by his parents.

Intensive care paramedic Terry Morrow said the boy was pulled from the water by surf lifesavers.

The young boy (circled above) was pulled from the ocean by lifesavers and is in a critical but stable condition

Paramedics were able to resuscitate the boy at the scene (above) before he was rushed to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead

‘When paramedics arrived, they took over and were able to resuscitate the boy,’ said Inspector Morrow.

‘The actions of those lifesavers played a crucial role in the boy’s resuscitation.

‘The child also had burns across his chest which were treated on scene by paramedics and the critical care medical team who arrived via the Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopter.

‘While this is a rare and unfortunate incident, it is a reminder that when there are electrical storms in the area you should avoid being in bodies of water and that indoors is the safest place to be.’

Parts of NSW including the Greater Wollongong area were impacted by severe thunderstorm cells on Thursday afternoon.

Other storms impacted the Greater Sydney area including parts of Western Sydney and the Northern Beaches.

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