Lightning injures two sailors at NSN

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Two sailors on separate ships were injured by lightning while lowering flags on their vessels docked at Naval Station Norfolk Saturday evening.

Lightning injured a U.S. sailor aboard the USS Kearsarge and a French sailor aboard the French ship Mistral, said Navy Public Affairs Officer Terry Davis. She said the vessels, both amphibious assault ships, were docked next to each other at piers 10 and 11 when the lightning struck.

Davis said both sailors suffered minor injuries and were taken to local hospitals as a precaution.

The sailors were conducting evening colors, the ceremonial lowering of the national flag at sunset, when the lightning injured them.

Medics took the American sailor to Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center in Norfolk. The French sailor was taken to the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth.

The Mistral was in the area participating in Operation Bold Alligator, an 11-day amphibious exercise that ended this weekend and involved about 15,000 sailors and Marines from 10 nations.