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Wednesday, October 28, 1998 Published at 14:51 GMT World: Africa Lightning kills football team Lightning also struck a match in South Africa All 11 members of a football team were killed by a bolt of lightning which left the other team unhurt, a Congolese newspaper has reported. Thirty other people received burns at the match in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kinshasa daily newspaper L'Avenir said local opinion - known to believe in charms and spells - was divided over whether someone had cursed the team. The two sides were drawing 1-1 in the match in eastern Kasai Province when the lightning struck the visiting team. "The athletes from [the home team] Basanga curiously came out of this catastrophe unscathed," the paper said.
There was no official confirmation of the report - a rebel war affects much of the east of the country. The first strike In a similar incident at the weekend, a premier league soccer match in Johannesburg was brought to an abrupt end when lightning struck the ground. Half the players from both teams - the Jomo Cosmos and the Moroka Swallows - dropped to the turf. Several writhed on the grass holding their ears and their eyes. Spectators and coaching staff ran onto the pitch to help. Fortunately no-one was killed. |
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