Australian snowboarder dies after becoming caught on ski lift in Japan

A lift carrying Nagano Prefecture Police for the searching operation is seen at Tsugaike Mountain Resort, Japan, in January 2023. (The Asahi Shimbun/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

An Australian snowboarder has died on a trip with friends to Japan after her backpack became caught in a ski lift leaving her suspended in midair, according to Japanese police and the lift operator.

Nagano Omachi Police said the 22-year-old tourist suffered from cardiac arrest after the accident on Friday at the Tsugaike Mountain Resort in Hakuba Valley, a popular ski destination in central Japan.

The woman was rushed to a hospital but later succumbed to her injuries, according to police and the ski lift operator.

In a statement, the Tsugaike Gondola Lift Co. said the waist buckle of the tourist’s backpack became entangled in the lift chair, which prevented her from getting off the lift.

“Because the chest strap of the backpack was fastened, the backpack did not detach from the guest’s body, and the guest was dragged along with the backpack after disembarking from the lift,” the company’s CEO and director Kubo Tsuneo said in a statement.

“A staff member immediately pressed the emergency stop button to halt lift operations. Emergency assistance was promptly provided, and the guest was then transported to a hospital by ambulance,” the statement said.

The company expressed its “deepest condolences to the bereaved family” and vowed to strengthen safety measures.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that an Australian citizen had died in Japan, and said it was providing consular support to their family.

“We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time,” a department spokesperson said in a statement.

Japan is considered one of Asia’s top snow sports destinations due to its powder snow, which attracts a large number of foreign tourists each winter.

By Chris Lau, Yosuke Tomita, CNN