Rayo kills the 22-year-old surfer while practicing on the beach in El Salvador

San Salvador. The Salvadoran surfer Katherine Diaz Hernandez She died after being struck by lightning while practicing in the waves of one of the most popular beaches in the Pacific, sports authorities confirmed Saturday.

According to official information, the famous 22-year-old athlete was surfing in the waves of Playa El Tuco, about 30 kilometers south of the capital, on Friday afternoon when she received the sudden electric shock. People who were on the beach helped her, but when they managed to save her, she stopped showing vital signs.

The President of the Salvadoran Sports Institute (INDES), Yamil Bukele, expressed his solidarity with the young athlete’s family and emphasized his passion for sports and the tourist development of El Tunco beach.

“I am deeply sorry for this passing and join the pain that overwhelms the family, an embrace of solidarity,” said the president of INDES when he confirmed the event.

Katherine lived and worked on the beach, one of the tourist centers best known for its waves and its gastronomy.

The young athlete was also a renowned chef in El Tunco, where she had managed to set up her own gastronomy business.

Katherine started surfing at the age of nine and took part in several national and international competitions.