Eight injured by lightning strike at SeaWorld

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 11:35 EST, 17 August 2011

Eight people were injured by a lighting strike at Orlando's SeaWorld Discovery Cove.

Three guests and five employees were hurt when the storm hit the park on Tuesday. Their injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

SeaWorld spokesman Nick Gollattscheck said none of them were hit directly by the lightening but were taken to hospital more as a precaution.

Scene: Eight people were injured after a lightning strike at SeaWorld's Discovery Cove on Tuesday

Scene: Eight people were injured after a lightning strike at SeaWorld's Discovery Cove on Tuesday

Attraction: Guests flock to the park to get the opportunity to swim with dolphins

Attraction: Guests flock to the park to get the opportunity to swim with dolphins

However three employees, whose injuries were more extensive, were taken to an urgent care facility and are still being evaluated.

According to 13 News, the storm moved in very quickly and thr park - where people come to swim with dolphins - had only been in condition red for 15 minutes before the lightning struck.

The McEntee family from England rescheduled their trip to Discovery Cove for Tuesday, because they thought the skies looked more promising as no one had been expecting the storm.

Visitor: Peter McEntee from England said the storm came out of nowhere in just 15 minutes

Visitor: Peter McEntee from England said the storm came out of nowhere in just 15 minutes

Sudden storm: The clouds are said to have come from nowhere and the park was only in red condition for 15 minutes

Sudden storm: The clouds are said to have come from nowhere and the park was only in red condition for 15 minutes

Peter McEntee told 13 News: 'We all cleared the pool and we are all sheltering underneath, then there’s a huge crack.'

'Lightning struck right over our heads and you could feel it. It was quite a blast,' said Bob Delvecchi, another guest at Discovery Cove.

'That's the closest I've ever been to a lightning strike, we felt we were in danger at that moment.'

The National Weather Service says 55 people are killed each year, and countless others suffer long term debilitating injuries from lighting strikes.

Florida is the lightning capital of America.

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