Kayaker, 18, found dead after being struck by lightning on river in Florida’s Gulf Coast
An 18-year-old kayaker named Michael Vargas was found dead after being struck by lightning while kayaking on the Blackwater River in Florida. The incident occurred on a Sunday afternoon, and his father, along with local authorities, attempted to search for him immediately after the strike. This marks the second reported lightning-related death in the U.S. for the year 2026.
- ▪Michael Vargas was kayaking with his father when he was struck by lightning.
- ▪Witnesses included his father and employees from the Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation.
- ▪The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was notified and assisted in the search.
- ▪Vargas was found dead in the water after the incident.
- ▪This is the second lightning death reported in the U.S. in 2026.
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| Original publisher | New York Post |
| Canonical URL | https://nypost.com/2026/06/03/us-news/florida-kayaker-michael-vargas-18-found-dead-after-being-struck-by-lightning-on-river-in-gulf-coast/ |
| Publication time | Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:38:59 -0400 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-06-03T08:41:59.255Z |
| Last seen | 2026-06-03T09:04:33.289Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
US News Kayaker, 18, found dead after being struck by lightning on river in Florida’s Gulf Coast By Hayley Vawter, FOX Weather Published June 3, 2026, 4:38 a.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google Originally Published by: Severe storms shift north amid border-to-border flood threat Wildlife officials urge residents to kill invasive Argentine tegus Sky spectacle: Meteor dazzles Midwest night sky A man kayaking on a river in Santa Rosa County, Florida, died after being struck by lightning and falling into the river. On Sunday afternoon, 18-year-old Michael Vargas and his father were kayaking on the Blackwater River when Vargas was struck by lightning and fell off his kayak.
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