Man who died in Pasir Ris lightning strike was a seasoned sea sports instructor

A seasoned sea sports instructor, 24-year-old Mikhail Benyamin, tragically died after being struck by lightning while kayaking near Pasir Ris Beach on Sunday afternoon. Known as a mentor to his colleagues, Mr. Benyamin was part of a group of eight individuals engaged in kayaking and paddleboarding when the incident occurred.

The police were alerted around 4:50 pm. Two individuals were transported to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, while the remaining six, including Mr. Benyamin, were taken to Sengkang General Hospital. Mr. Benyamin was found unconscious and later pronounced dead. Investigations into the incident are currently underway.

“

This was purely a leisure outing.

According to Berwin Tan, chief operating officer of Outdoor Adventures, where Mr. Benyamin worked as a freelance instructor, the outing was purely for leisure. Mr. Benyamin was with family and friends and was not conducting a professional program at the time. The group had been paddling within a designated area and were returning to shore when the lightning struck.

Tan emphasized that safety briefings are standard procedure, including instructions to return immediately if a lightning alert is issued. He stated that instructors assess customers' experience levels and restrict beginners to specific areas. In this instance, Mr. Benyamin himself had conducted the safety briefing for his group, indicating his awareness and experience. Staff and witnesses reported clear skies before the incident, with rain only arriving after the strike. Nearby fishermen rushed to provide assistance.

“

It was an informal setting, so I heard that he was the one actually conducting the safety briefing for them as well. He's very aware and has a lot of experience.