Snowboarder dies after fall

A snowboarder has died in Christchurch Hospital after suffering fatal injuries in a fall at Mt Hutt Ski Area this morning. (Friday August 6).

The male snowboarder, believed to be in his thirties, was from Christchurch. He was on his first run of the day, snowboarding with two friends on the International run, when it is understood he caught an edge while traversing across from the groomed run to the bottom of the Triple chairlift below the base building.

It is understood he fell forward onto his front and started sliding down the hill, travelling approximately 200m.

His fall took him well below the bottom of the chairlift and outside the ski area boundary over rocky outcrops. He stopped just above a creek area.

He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.

As soon as the alarm was raised, Mt Hutt Ski Patrol responded and a doctor stabilized him at the scene. He was taken to the Mt Hutt Medical Room before being transferred by Westpac Helicopter to Christchurch Hospital where he later died.

The name of the man will not be released until next of kin have been notified.

Mt Hutt Ski Area manager Dave Wilson extended his deepest condolences to friends and family of the man.

He said it had been a “devastating” season at the ski area. Earlier this season a Christchurch woman died while skiing outside the ski area boundary, and an American died in a separate incident when skiing off trail. A sixty-year-old man died when his car left the ski area access road.

“We will be conducting a full internal investigation into this incident and will work fully with any external investigation,” he said.

“This has hit our patrollers very hard and the entire management and staff at Mt Hutt are devastated, to say the least.”