Woman Suffocates in Canadian Resort After Falling into Deep Powder
She fell in deep snow in the trees off Banff Avenue, a green run on the lower mountain area.
The ski patrol arrived within three minutes of being alerted, but despite two hours of resuscitation efforts, the woman could not be revived.
The fall was witnessed by another skier on the mountain who tried to help the woman until the ski patrol arrived.
It does not appear to ski patrol that the woman fell into a tree well, but it was a ‘deep snow immersion.’
If a person is buried and snow blocks a person’s airway, it can result in suffocation or cardiac arrest.
Runs off Banff Avenue in Sunshine Village, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
“Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time,” said the director of brand and communications at Sunshine Village, Kendra Scurfield.
“We understand how hard it must be for them, and we’d also like to thank our ski patrol team for their work.”
“It looked like she had fallen into deep snow and there may have been either asphyxiation due to the snow or cardiac arrest.”
A post- mortem is underway.
Sunshine Village has seen record amounts of December snow with 4.48m on the upper mountain and another 61cm this week.
There have been huge amounts of snow in Sunshine Village this December and though the resort is better known for its steep terrain – Delirium Dive, Wild West and South Side Shutes – there have been some deep pockets of powder.
It seems the woman fell into one and was unable to get herself out.
The Wild West, Sunshine Village, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
We have reported on the conditions direct from Sunshine Village in our rolling snow reports:
Skiers and snowboarders are being urged to be extra vigilant and exercise extreme caution in the current conditions.
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