Man killed by lightning while water skiing in Florida
The fatal strike near Fort De Soto marked the 13th lightning-related death in the U.S. this year and the fifth reported in Florida.
A man was struck and killed by lightning near Fort De Soto, Florida, over the weekend, marking the 13th lightning-related fatality in the United States so far this year.
The man was water skiing when the strike happened Saturday evening. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office responded around 6:35 p.m. EDT, and the victim was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The victim was later identified as Steve Matheson of Utah, WFLA said.
According to the AccuWeather Lightning Network, 482 lightning flashes were detected near Fort De Soto between 6 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Saturday, including 300 cloud-to-ground strikes. The closest cloud-to-ground lightning strike in the area happened at 6:21 p.m.
(Getty Images/Jeff Cullman/500px)
The deadly strike happened just days after a mother and her 2-year-old daughter were struck and killed by lightning in Margate, Florida, on Aug. 23.
There have now been 13 lightning-related deaths in the U.S. so far in 2026, according to the National Lightning Safety Council. Five have been in Florida, which is considered the lightning capital of the country.
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