Colombian international killed by lightning strike

A former Colombian international footballer has been killed and four others injured by a lightning strike during a practice session with his team.

One of the four injured players, Giovany Cordoba, is in a critical condition after suffering three heart attacks as the result of the lightning strike.

Veteran halfback Hermam Gaviria had just begun training when he sustained fatal injuries from the lightning on Thursday afternoon.

Fellow players tried to revive Gaviria on the field before taking him to the hospital.

"It was a surprise storm, the lightning strike hit the post and then the field, and several players were affected," said Francisco Henao, a fan who was watching the practice.

"I was saved by a miracle, I was only five metres from Hermam," said teammate Mauricio Espinosa.

Gaviria, 32, played for Colombia's national team in the 1994 World Cup and in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He played for a team in Japan before recently joining Deportivo Cali. He had also played for teams in Tolima and Bucaramanga states.