‘He had plans to be outdoor sports instructor’: Uncle of man killed by lightning at Pasir Ris Beach

SINGAPORE – The man who died after being struck by lightning on July 5 had just completed his national service and had plans to become an outdoor sports instructor, said his uncle.

Mikhail Benyamin, 24, worked part-time for a group of outdoor adventure companies, and had been out in the waters off Pasir Ris Beach with his family when tragedy struck.

He was brought to shore unconscious and taken to Sengkang General Hospital, where he later died. No foul play is suspected.

The police had earlier said that six others, aged between 13 and 54, were taken conscious to the hospital.

Mikhail worked freelance as a certified kayaking instructor for water activities company SeaOPS.

His uncle Alfie D’Silva, 52, told The Straits Times that Mikhail had organised a family outing that day because his aunt and cousins had flown in from Australia, and he wanted everyone to spend quality time together before they returned home.

The family planned to enjoy kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, D’Silva said, adding that family was always Mikhail’s greatest priority.

“Before they entered deeper waters, Mikhail was explaining water safety tips to the group when sudden lightning hit him directly. The electrical current travelled through the water, causing his younger brother and several others nearby to lose consciousness or become temporarily incapacitated,” said D’Silva.

Mikhail was rendered unconscious immediately.

His younger brother managed to swim to shore to get help despite being weakened by the electrical shock.

Members of the public and nearby water sports operators quickly went to help the family and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Mikhail until paramedics arrived.

D’Silva, an IT project executive, told ST that Mikhail, who was buried on the evening of July 6, was always passionate about the outdoors and found great joy in nature and adventure.

He said that Mikhail had hoped to secure a permanent role as an outdoor sports instructor.

“His sudden passing has left our entire family heartbroken and has affected all of us tremendously. He was a well-liked, kind-hearted young man who had recently completed his national service and was looking forward to the next chapter of his life,” said his uncle.

“We will always remember him for his warm, goofy personality, caring nature, and the happiness he brought to those around him.”

D’Silva also told ST that the other family members were recovering well.

SeaOPS’ founder, Andrew Chua, 60, said Mikhail also conducted courses for its sister companies, Camp Challenge and Outdoor Adventures.

He said: “It’s very sad. A lot of people would know him as a very good instructor. It’s a very unfortunate thing to happen to a promising instructor who was very dedicated.”

Chua said Mikhail had used a stand-up paddleboard and three kayaks belonging to SeaOPS that day, and that he was not conducting a course then.

Chua said: “We have this thing called work-life integration, where instructors can organise activities for themselves and their family members.

“He was doing something for his family, and was not conducting a student or corporate course.

“As far as I know, there were no sirens or Category 1 warnings at the time.”

Category 1 warnings are issued by the Meteorological Service Singapore if there is a high risk of lightning strikes and severe thundery showers in the immediate area.

Chua said outdoor activities all carry some risks.

He said: “When it comes to the outdoors, you need to take certain precautions if you think there is a chance of lightning or heavy weather. Each individual will have to make an assessment before making a decisive and safe decision.”

Chua said Mikhail and his family had been on their way back to shore when lightning struck him.

Chua added: “Lightning strikes can happen to anyone.

“Unfortunately, (Mikhail) was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And no matter what kind of training he had, it’s very difficult to mitigate such a situation.”

A friend of Mikhail from secondary school remembered him as a humble person.

Addressing him affectionately as Mika, the friend, who declined to be named, said: “He passed doing what he loved, being in the outdoors and in the waters.”

Mohammad Nordin, the owner of a nearby kayak rental shop, Fish On, said Mikhail was using a stand-up paddleboard. He said the rest of the group were using single-seat and tandem kayaks.

Nordin said that after the lightning strike, some of the kayaks capsized.

Nordin and several members of the public helped to drag the kayaks to shore and lifted Mikhail from the stand-up paddleboard and moved him onto the grass.

An ambulance later arrived to transport Mikhail and other victims – who appeared to be in shock – to hospital.

In a statement on July 6, the Outdoor Learning and Adventure Education (OLAE) Association extended its condolences to Mikhail’s family and friends, saying his death was a loss to their community.

The association is the largest for outdoor education activities in Singapore and promotes best practices for the industry. SeaOPS is one of its members.

OLAE secretery-general Delane Lim said: “(Mikhail) was part of Singapore’s outdoor adventure community, and we recognise his passion and commitment to paddle sports and outdoor adventure education.”

Lim noted that stand-up paddleboarding is an increasingly popular water activity enjoyed by people of all ages.

Risk assessments

He said everyone should observe the principles of water safety, no matter what the activity might be.

He added that all providers and practitioners should adhere to the relevant safety standards when planning and conducting activities. This includes making risk assessments regarding weather forecasts, lightning alerts and water conditions before embarking on water activities.

He said: “Where actual conditions observed on site indicate a higher level of risk than forecast, the on-site assessment and professional judgment of the activity leader should take precedence.”

Those involved should also monitor environmental conditions during the activity and ensure instructors are equipped with proper training and experience.

Lim said no single standard or checklist can entirely eliminate all risks associated with outdoor activities.

He said: “Good preparation, continual situational awareness and sound professional judgment remain essential in managing dynamic outdoor environments.”

In a separate incident on June 24, a lightning strike caused a fire near Pulau Ubin, affecting at least two floating fish farms.

The fire started at one farm and is believed to have spread to two other farms, causing serious damage. No injuries were reported.