An Australian man in his 20s has died at a ski resort in Japan, just days after the tragic death of a young woman from the Sunshine Coast in a chairlift accident.
The man was skiing at the back of a group of seven in backcountry terrain between Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort and Niseko Annupuri International Ski Resort on Monday. Local reports indicate that his companions realised he was missing midway down the mountain and returned to search for him around 3 pm. He was found unconscious, receiving CPR from four fellow skiers. Early indications suggest he was buried in an avalanche, following a period of record snowfall in the region over the past two weeks.
This incident comes shortly after Brooke Day, 22, an Australian on a working holiday, died in a separate accident at Tsugaike Mountain Resort in Otari, Nagano Prefecture. Ms Day became trapped while snowboarding after the chairlift she was on snagged her backpack as she tried to disembark. The lift’s buckle became entangled, dragging her as the chair rotated. Resort chief Tsuneo Kubo confirmed that the backpack’s chest strap prevented quick removal. Although a staff member activated the emergency stop, Ms Day went into cardiac arrest and was later pronounced dead at hospital on Sunday.
Both incidents highlight the dangers of skiing and snowboarding in Japan’s backcountry and resort areas, especially during periods of heavy snowfall.
