Snowboarder, 22, Killed in Freak Chairlift Accident After Making Fatal Mistake
A 22-year-old snowboarder died in a freak chairlift accident while vacationing in Japan, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and 7News Australia.
The horrifying accident occurred on the morning of Friday, Jan. 30, when Australian tourist Brooke Day boarded a chairlift at the Tsugaike Mountain Resort, which is located in Central Japan. As the lift ascended Tsugaike Mountain, Day’s backpack accidentally became tangled within the transport mechanism, trapping her. Day was unable to escape and was dragged into the air by the lift, at which time she suffered a cardiac arrest. She was transported to a local hospital, where she later died.
The Tsugaike Gondola Lift Co., which owns and operates the chairlift, confirmed to 7News that a “buckle at the end of an unfastened waist belt attached to a backpack carried by a customer became caught in the lift carriage.”
“Since the chest strap was fastened, the backpack remained attached to the body," Tsugaike Gondola’s release explained. "Subsequently, staff pressed the stop button to halt the lift. Prompt rescue efforts were carried out, and the customer was transported by ambulance” to a local hospital.
Day was reportedly in Japan on a vacation with friends. “We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time,” a spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement, per CNN.
Resort Employees Cooperating with Investigation
Tsuneo Kubo, chief executive of the Tusugaike Mountain Resort, told ABC that he and the other employees are fully cooperating with the investigation. "We will continue to cooperate fully with the police and relevant authorities in their investigations, while simultaneously working to establish a safer operational framework," he said in a statement.
The chairlift, which has been out of operation since the accident, will open again once authorities and resort staff are satisfied that the investigation is complete and stricter safety measures have been instituted. Tsugaike Mountain Resort and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Men’s Journal.
Ski Association Warns Against Wearing Backpacks on Chairlifts
It’s widely understood that wearing a backpack on a chairlift is dangerous. Indeed, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) acknowledges in its rulebook that skiers must "remove all backpacks and secure all loose straps before loading" onto the lift. Aside from the hazard of snagging, wearing a backpack while riding a chairlift causes one to pitch forward, which reduces stability and greatly increases risk of falling from the lift.
However, many skiers acknowledge that it’s helpful or even necessary to have a backpack while engaging in the sport. They recommend that the safest way to carry your backpack to avoid any unfortunate accidents is by holding it on your lap and unclipping all unnecessary straps so that it can be quickly removed.