A 53-year-old visitor was discovered deceased by shocked staff at a ski resort as the gondola he was riding reached the mountain’s peak. The man’s body was found by the gondola operator on January 6 in the afternoon after he experienced a cardiac arrest upon boarding the mountain lift at Val Cenis ski resort in Savoie, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France.
Despite efforts by two ski patrollers to resuscitate the man using a defibrillator and the prompt arrival of emergency services and local police, the man was declared dead at the scene. On the same day, another tragic incident occurred at Les Menuires resort in Savoie where a Spanish skier was discovered unconscious near a rock in an unmarked skiing area.
Tragedy struck on December 28 at the Asarigawa Onsen ski resort in Otaru, Japan, when a five-year-old boy lost his life after his arm became stuck in a lift. The child tragically passed away after falling and becoming trapped in the ski travelator’s machinery, as reported by Japanese media. Authorities are currently investigating the incident that occurred at the well-known ski resort.
Reports from local media indicate that Hinata Goto was about to disembark from the travelator when he fell, leading to his right arm getting caught in the machinery. Despite the safety measures of the travelator, it only stopped when the boy’s mother activated the emergency stop.
Rescue workers spent 40 minutes disassembling parts of the travelator to free the unconscious boy. He was then rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police are conducting an investigation to determine if there was any negligence in the installation or maintenance of the travelator. Staff at the Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort confirmed that the safety mechanism had been functional earlier in the day.
The travelator, installed approximately six years ago, is 30m (98 ft) long and 60cm (24 in) wide, connecting the resort’s car park to the ski slopes. Travelator ski lifts, commonly known as “magic carpet” lifts, are predominantly found on beginner slopes. Visitors have reported instances of stumbling while using the specific travelator where the incident occurred, according to Japanese media reports.