A 27-year-old Melbourne man has died just days after he died at a ski resort in Japan. Queensland snowboarder Brooke Day.
The man collapsed and suffered a heart attack while skiing with six others in Niseko, Hokkaido, on Monday, a local ski lodge spokesman said.
The Australian was working at a local hotel while in Niseko and was skiing at the back of his group of seven when he collapsed and four other skiers saw him fall and started CPR, the spokesman said.
“He was a talented, kind, gentle and wonderful person,” they said.
“There was no accident, collision or fall.”
The man was extricated by the fire department and pronounced dead at a hospital, with local police saying they would investigate, local outlet UHB reported.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular assistance to the man’s family.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family at this difficult time,” a Dfat spokesman said.
The Australian’s death comes three days after 22-year-old Day Her backpack got stuck in the ski lift At Sugaike Resort in Otari, near Nagano.
The resort’s lift operator said it would fully cooperate with investigations and “take concrete steps to prevent a repeat such as strengthening our safety management system”.
Japan has experienced record snowfall in recent weeks, with 30 deaths and more than 100 serious injuries nationwide in snow-related incidents since January 20, the disaster management agency reported.
Niseko’s Annupuri ski resort, near where the man was found, recorded 290cm of snow near the mountain’s summit and 200cm at its base on Wednesday.
Daily Niseko Avalanche Bulletin He noted the snowfall was “exceptionally good” on Monday, but warned visitors not to ski off-piste.
“The area outside the gates is not a ski resort,” the Feb. 2 bulletin read.
The snowfall delayed train services, forced the closure of highways and last week briefly closed the main airport of Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido, leaving hundreds of travelers stranded.
With Reuters reporting
