Salvadoran Surfer Katherine Díaz Dies At El Tunco Beach

The surfer and national team were leaving the beach to train when she suffered the electric shock. She died on the way to a health center

Salvadoran surf is in mourning. This Friday afternoon, national surfer Katherine Díaz died after being hit by a lightning strike. The athlete was training when the serious incident happened.

According to preliminary reports, the athlete was in her afternoon practices, prior to the storm that fell on the national territory this afternoon, and was hit by the electrical discharge when she was coming out of the water.

Neither the Salvadoran Red Cross (SS headquarters) nor the Green Cross (SS) attended the emergency, but they confirmed that a person was treated on El Tunco beach, due to lightning caused by the rain. Spokesmen said that private individuals who were present at the scene attended the event, and helped the surfer.

“The sky was clear, and it was an unforeseen storm,” they say.

The president of the nation, Yamil Bukele, has lamented the death of the surfer, a member of the Salvadoran team for the ISA World Cup that will take place between May 29 and June 6, 2021, qualifying for Tokyo 2021.

” Our solidarity with ‘El Bamba'”, he later published together with a statement from the National Institute of Sports of El Salvador (INDES), which confirmed the news. By ‘El Bamba’, Bukele was referring to his brother José Díaz, president of FESASURF.

Surfer Katy Díaz Died
Surfer Katy Díaz /Photo

However, individuals reported that Díaz would have been left alive, but when she was transferred to a hospital, she died on the way, as a result of the serious injuries she suffered.

The president of the Salvadoran Surf Federation (Fesasurf), Jaime Delgado, confirmed the news. “So is. Unfortunately, ”he said, without further details.

The national team was part of the group of athletes that make up the national team that was preparing for the ISA World Games, which will take place in May in the country, and which will give 12 places for surfing for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

In the National Surf Circuit, Díaz was third in the Women’s Open category, after a second date in which she was first. Her final score was 6.37. While she also competed in the Alas Tour 2020, also in the same division of the ladies.

The athlete, sister of José “Bamba” Díaz, a former national surfer and who is currently a member of the coaching staff of the national surfing team and is a judge, expressed solidarity with the Salvadorans in June 2020, when many were left without houses and without food, a product of storm Amanda and the Covid19 pandemic. It was a hard time for her and “el Bamba”, as they were grieving because of the death of their father, but they still helped those in need.

Katherine, who was 22 years old, was part of the group of solidarity and united surfers, to help her compatriots. It was also active and as a promoter in the garbage collection campaign on the beaches, always in the coastal area of ​​La Libertad. Rest in peace, Katherine.

Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.

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