7 Church Youth Group Hikers Hospitalized After Lightning Strike in Utah

A church youth group in Utah was hiking in a light rainstorm when lightning struck nearby, shocking dozens and sending seven to the hospital with injuries, officials said.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints youth group from Salina, Utah, were hiking Thursday, June 27, south of the Fremont Junction near the Willow Springs overlook in the eastern part of Sevier County when it began to rain at around 1:45 p.m., according to the Sevier County Sheriff's Office.

The rain caused water to puddle on the ground, so when lightning struck the ground nearby, "approximately 50 youth felt the shock of the lightning," the sheriff's office said. Seven of the hikers required medical attention.

The injured youths were transported by ambulances from Emery and Sevier Counties to Salina, where they were triaged. It was determined that two of the youths were experiencing "serious symptoms," and they were flown by medical helicopter to Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi. The remaining five injured youths were transported to Gunnison Valley Hospital and Sevier Valley Hospital.

The sheriff's office said none of the injuries were expected to be life threatening.

The remaining youths were accounted for and transported back to Salina, and returned to their parents.

—TMX contributed to this report.