ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —  The rower hospitalized after a lightning strike in the Lake Fairview area on Thursday afternoon is a sixth-grade student from St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Orlando and is in critical condition, principal Dr. Jaime Rodriguez revealed Friday in a letter to the parents and families of the school's students. Another student involved in the incident, was found in the water, ending the search. 

Annunciation Catholic Academy, a kindergarten through eighth-grade school in Altamonte Springs. Search operations had to be temporarily suspended at about 3:05 p.m. because of inclement weather but were expected to resume as soon as possible, Orlando Fire Department officials said.

At around 5:15 p.m. the search ended when the missing boy was found by the Orange County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit. 

Communications with parents at both schools asked community members to pray for the youths.

 

Grief counselors for school staff, students and families were on both campuses Friday.

The hospitalized youth was taken to AdventHealth Orlando on Thursday evening, Orlando Fire Department officials said.

Five students from a rowing club were on a boat that capsized after a lightning strike in the area Thursday evening.

At the time, Orange County authorities had confirmed only that the students were of middle school age. 

What You Need To Know

  • The rower hospitalized after a lightning strike at Lake Fairview is in critical condition

  • That boy is a sixth-grader at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic, school officials said

  • A search is ongoing at Lake Fairview for the missing student from Anunciation Catholic

  • Five middle school students from a rowing club were on a boat that capsized after a lightning strike

  • Both schools are asking community members to pray for their students

Of the five students on the boat, three were evaluated and reunited with their parents, one went to Advent Health, and one was missing. 

The lightning strike happened before 6 p.m. Thursday and first responders have been here searching since.

They are unable to say if lightning hit the boat directly, but it was overturned in the water with the kids onboard. 

When asked if this is a rescue or recovery mission, Orlando Fire Department Deputy Chief Ian Davis said he did not want to answer that question at this time. 

But he did elaborate on how they are conducting this search. 

“We are currently using our search patterns,” Davis said. “And we have identified where we believe that the boat was capsized and we are searching off of that however we are going to be using some additional technology, sonar, from of our partners in the area." 

Fairview is a 400 acre public lake in Orange County. 

According to their schedule online the North Orlando Rowing Club had "Middle School Practice" here last night. 

It's a competitive group for athletes ages 12 through 18.