21 November 2023 , 14:34
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A hiker filmed the horror moment when a bolt of lightning struck her mountain guide dead.
Victim Leilson Barros de Souza was hit by the bolt as he led a group up a monolith. Hiker Karlla Concei o Ara jo da Silva was filming the stunning views from the top when the horror unfolded. Her footage shows how Leilson, 36, walks to the edge of a precipice with his green rucksack on his back.
Karlla, 26, then turns the camera onto herself. But as she smiles, lightning suddenly strikes and causes her to scream and recoil in fright. As she looks up to the sky in awe, a male voice can be heard off camera saying: "Oh my God, the guy died, man." Karlla's husband, who was also on the hike, called the emergency services at around 11 am on Sunday (19 Nov).
De Souza, who was killed by lightning (Jam Press)
De Souza approaches the cliff edge, where he is about to be struck by the lightning bolt (Jam Press Vid)The Fire Department later removed the guide's body from the scene using a helicopter. Karlla's brother, who is training to be a mountain guide, led the group back down the landmark Pedra da G vea rock in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The hike to the monolith's summit and back takes four hours in total and involves rappelling.
Karlla told local media: "It was heartbreaking. All I could do was cry, and we were in total despair. I wanted to go down, but at the same time, I was afraid because more lightning could strike." The group had been told about the chance of rain but had decided to press on with the hike because of the unreliability of the forecast.
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The group were on a hiking trip (Jam Press)Karlla recalled: "Midway, it started raining, just a drizzle. The guide asked if we wanted to continue, and everyone agreed.
"The guide mentioned there was a chance to reach the end and have a view with the sun."
Tragic Leilson was the eldest of four siblings and the provider for his family. He was studying environmental management and had been working as a mountain guide for six years. His brother, Leonardo Barros, told local media: "He was an amazing person, always going above and beyond for everyone. He was the kind of guy who loved taking special people, especially the elderly, on trails. His thing was mountaineering, nature." Leilson will be laid to rest in Rio de Janeiro today (21 Nov).