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Fisherman Killed by Lightning on Ostuni Rocks

The death underlines the danger of fishing on exposed shorelines during intense, localized storms and has prompted an on‑scene police investigation.

Overview

  • The man, about 70 years old, was struck while fishing on the rocks at località Santa Lucia and died despite resuscitation attempts by 118 emergency teams on Friday, September 18, 2026.
  • His companion was uninjured and raised the alarm, and emergency crews arrived within minutes but could not revive the victim.
  • Police from the Ostuni commissariat, led by deputy police chief Vincenzo Alfano, are carrying out on‑site inspections to establish the exact cause and sequence of events.
  • A single outlet has named the victim as Marco Galantino and an early reconstruction reported the bolt may have hit the tip of his fishing rod and thrown him onto the rocks, but those details remain unconfirmed.
  • Lightning deaths are rare in Italy, about ten a year, and local reporting recalls a nearby storm fatality last year, highlighting how exposed coastal locations can become life‑threatening during sudden severe weather.