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Ex-Belgium footballer Denis Dasoul, 34, killed in freak accident after being struck by lightning while learning to surf. |
Denis Dasoul, 34, had spells with Standard Liege , Genk and Royal Antwerp and captained Belgium at youth level.
He retired in 2011 and moved to Melbourne in Australia with girlfriend Pellaers Allison, before visiting Bali last week to fulfil his dream of learning to surf.Dasoul paddled out with his instructor on Sunday afternoon - despite grey clouds and light drizzle overhead at the Batu Bolong beach in the Canggu district
At around 2.15pm horrified witnesses described seeing a massive bolt of lightning unexpectedly tear down from the sky and hit Denis close to the shore. The 34-year-old died instantly.
An eyewitness said he saw Denis and his instructor in the water as the lightning hit them.
He said: "They were finishing their session and sitting up on their boards. Both men fell off their boards and sank into the water."
Locals pulled the two men from water before an ambulance rushed them to hospital at around 2.45pm.
Police said that they believed Denis was killed instantly after being hit by the lightning.
They said that Denis' chest had turned blue and his instructor's left thigh also turned blue, believed to be from bruising.
Devastated friend Pascal Scime paid tribute to Denis who was always "smiling and joking".
He said: "Denis was a marvellous person who lived every day like It was the last.
"He was always smiling and joking. A very nice guy. He was in Bali for holidays with his girlfriend. This is a tragedy."
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