Two Belgian Youths Struck by Lightning in French Pyrenees

Two young Belgian hikers, a 14-year-old teenager and a 21-year-old man, were struck by lightning on Monday afternoon while trekking in the French Pyrenees. Both victims are now conscious and hospitalized in stable condition, according to the Tarbes prosecutor’s office, which confirmed their prognosis is no longer life-threatening.

The incident occurred in the mid-afternoon at approximately 2,700 meters altitude near the Hourquette d’Ossoue pass in the Vignemale massif, in the municipality of Cauterets in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, as VRT NWS reported. The two hikers were part of a group of about 15 people who had come together as a circumstantial group when the storm hit. The victims did not know each other and came from two different hiking groups.

A Sudden Storm at High Altitude

The group was hiking on the GR10 trail, between the Oulettes de Gaube refuge and the Bayssellance refuge, without a guide, when a violent thunderstorm broke out over the massif. According to franceinfo, the alert was given to the PGHM mountain rescue team shortly after the storm broke, and the Choucas 65 helicopter struggled to land due to the bad weather conditions.

“In the early afternoon, a storm broke out over the massif. We were called by a group of people who were hit head-on by this storm. Two of the people in this group were struck by lightning,” said Jean-Michel Rodé, Major and Commander of the PGHM of Pierrefitte-Nestalas, in an interview with La Nouvelle République des Pyrénées.

“In the face of the elements, they regrouped and formed a circumstantial group of about fifteen people,” Rodé added. “They were surprised by the speed of movement of the storm cells, even though they were not far from the second refuge.”

The Hautes-Pyrénées department was under yellow thunderstorm vigilance by Météo-France at the time. The Tarbes prosecutor’s office noted that the storm cell “arrived at high speed” and that its intensity “had not been announced nor foreseeable on weather bulletins, even though storms had been reported.”

Serious Injuries and Dramatic Rescue

The 14-year-old suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest and was found unconscious, with an entry point of lightning at the ear and an exit point at the foot. The 21-year-old had external burns, which made the SAMU doctor uncertain about possible internal damage, and he also lost feeling in his legs. One victim was hit in the head, the other in the thorax, as ICI Béarn Bigorre detailed.

Both victims were airlifted to hospitals in the region, specifically to Tarbes hospital. By Tuesday at midday, both were conscious and hospitalized in stable condition, with their prognosis no longer life-threatening, according to the Tarbes prosecutor’s office, as franceinfo reported.

One of the victims is from Hoeilaart, Belgium, as confirmed by the local gendarmerie to VRT NWS. The residence of the other victim has not been publicly disclosed.

The Tarbes prosecutor’s office did not open an investigation due to the absence of a criminal offense, since these are natural and accidental phenomena. No particular imprudence was noted by the authorities.

Lightning Risks in Mountain Environments

Approximately 100 people are struck by lightning in France each year, with fewer than 10 deaths per year, according to La Croix. Direct lightning strikes occur in open spaces or on heights—stadiums, fields, summits, trees—and can be fatal. Conduction lightning occurs when a person is near a larger object serving as a conductor, such as a tree, pylon, or even an umbrella.

This was the first storm-related intervention for the PGHM of Pierrefitte-Nestalas since the beginning of summer 2026. Last year, the unit intervened once for a Spanish woman struck by lightning, who died, Rodé noted.

“It is quite obvious that in the heart of an active storm or on the periphery of an active storm, it is extremely dangerous,” said Raymond Piccoli, Director of the Lightning Research Laboratory, in comments reported by franceinfo. “One can of course be exposed to lightning, but also to violent winds.”

Safety Recommendations for Hikers

Experts and firefighters recommend avoiding forest walks or mountain outings if a storm is forecast. If caught in a storm while hiking, seek shelter in a solid building away from peaks. Stay away from metal structures and trees, and remain more than 3 meters from other people. Crouch on the ground with feet on insulating material—a raincoat, rope, or backpack—and wait for the storm to pass.

“It is difficult to take shelter,” Rodé acknowledged. “However, there are a few rules to respect. You should not stay on summits. You should not stay on ridges. You should avoid proximity to tall objects such as trees, prominent rocks, and you should obviously get rid of all metallic objects such as carbon poles, tent pegs, etc.”

What to Watch For

Both victims remain hospitalized in Tarbes, where doctors continue to monitor their recovery. While their prognosis is no longer life-threatening, the exact long-term consequences of their injuries remain uncertain. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable dangers of summer mountain activities during thunderstorm season, even when hikers are close to shelter.