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Lightning strike victim was on trip of a lifetime

Sam Beattie, 24, with girlfriend Michele Segalla, 23.

Sam Beattie, 24, with girlfriend Michele Segalla, 23. Photo: Facebook

The man killed by a lightning strike on top of Mount Warning has been identified as American backpacker Sam Beattie.

Mr Beattie, 24, was on the trip of a lifetime in Australia with his girlfriend Michele Segalla, News Corp reported on Wednesday.

He was killed instantly when the ferocious electrical storm swept through northern NSW before dawn on Tuesday morning,

A shot of Sam Beattie at Rainbow Beach, Queensland. Photo: Instagram.

A shot of Sam Beattie at Rainbow Beach, Queensland. Photo: Instagram.

The lightning strike surged through a tree near their tent before passing through his chair and killing him instantly.

Ms Segalla was injured.

Fairfax Media reported that Mr Beattie and Ms Segalla were into the first weeks of an eight-week dream holiday in Australia, and that rescuers had found Ms Segalla next to Mr Beattie’s body, sobbing.

A group of hikers found the pair shortly after the strike and tried to give Mr Beattie first aid for almost an hour before emergency services could hike their way to the top of the mountain.

Treacherous conditions meant a rescue helicopter couldn’t be used to reach the couple.

It took them nearly two hours to carry the body down from the mountain.

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