Three Injured As Chairlift Falls From Wind Gust At Thredbo
A freak accident occurred in the Australian snowfields on Saturday afternoon, leaving three people injured. Two women in their 20s sustained back injuries, while a male suffered facial injuries after they were ejected from a ski lift due to an unexpected gust of wind around 2:20 pm. The incident involved a single chair on the Kosciuszko Chairlift. Two individuals were airlifted to Canberra Hospital, while the third person was taken to Cooma Health Service.
Thredbo ski patrol working on the injured.
The chair that fell from the lift.
Thredbo, the resort, confirmed the incident as an isolated occurrence and emphasized its commitment to guest and employee safety. They are cooperating with investigations by SafeWork NSW and an independent engineer. Thredbo reassured guests that safety remains their top priority and they will uphold their rigorous safety and risk management standards.
The Kosciuszko Chairlift, Australia's longest, spanning almost two kilometers, is 33 years old. Originally a four-seater lift, it replaced the older double chair in 1990 and serves skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and mountain bikers year-round. The incident may have taken place at the top station, where the distance from the cable to the ground is minimal.
A wind gust of 65 km/h was recorded near the chairlift's top station shortly before the incident. Notably, Thredbo had experienced a chairlift incident previously in recent years. Despite this, in 2022, it was named Australia's best ski resort for the fifth consecutive year. In 2019, a similar incident occurred involving a skier on the Gunbarrel Chairlift, which, like the Kosciuszko Chairlift, is also a four-seater.
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