Season 3rd Death at Mt Hutt
Press Release
An as-yet unidentified woman died while skiing at Mt. Hutt on Monday afternoon, the third death at the New Zealand ski and snowboard resort thus far this season.
The Christchurch, New Zealand resident, variously reported as 54 and 56 years of age, was skiing just out of bounds with her teenage daughter in an area known as the South West Face at around 2:30 p.m. local time when she fell and slid some 400-700 meters (1,312-2,297 feet) over rocks and into an adjacent gulley. She was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries at approximately 5:00 p.m.
A spokesperson for the rescue helicopter company stated that the victim suffered severe head injuries despite wearing a helmet. Ashburton district police are investigating the incident, and are withholding the victim’s name pending notification of her relatives.
Monday’s death was the third at Mt. Hutt so far this winter. On June 17, a 21-year-old American woman fell while skiing off-trail at the resort near Methven and slid into rocks, dying some days later in a Christchurch hospital. Just three days earlier, a 60-year-old skier died after his vehicle left the Mt. Hutt access road following a day of skiing.
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