Fowler Associates Labs

Two Boys Playing in Surf Injured by Lightning

Bald Head Island, NC- Two boys playing in the surf at Bald Head Island were hospitalized, and seven other people were dazed but unhurt after lightning struck, officials said.

The cousins, 9 and 11 years old, were injured by lightning that apparently hit the water near them, said Jerome Munna, chief of the Bald Head Island Fire and Emergency Services Department.

The youngest boy went into cardiac arrest, then was revived by CPR from someone on the beach and by rescue personnel, Munna said. The injuries occurred about midday Sunday when a thunderstorm moved quickly over the beach.

The 9-year -old was taken to New Hanover Regional Medical Center and then flown to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. The boy's 11-year-old cousin suffered less serious injuries and was taken to Dosher Memorial Hospital in Southport.

The boys, one from Virginia and one from Connecticut were staying on the island with their families, but were not identified at the families' request, and hospital officials would not release information about their conditions.

Forecasters for the National Weather Service in Wilmington, NC , said the lightning was spawned by a small line of storms from Carolina Beach to Bald Head Island.