Industry News
A ‘freak gust of wind’ at Thredbo Ski Resort, Australia is being blamed for causing a loaded chairlift to snap and send its passenger plummeting over 30-feet to the ground yesterday.
The incident happened as the Gunbarrel quad chairlift was approaching the top terminal. The wind caused the chair to become dislodged.
Shocked skiers watched on as the man managed to walk away mostly unscathed. Thredbo Ski Resort confirmed the man suffered minor bruising but luckily managed to walk away relatively unharmed. The broken chair was left in pieces after smashing on the snow beneath the belt.
No other skiers or chairs were affected by the ‘isolated incident’. The Gunbarrel chairlift was put on standby on Tuesday, while the mountain’s 10 other lifts remain open to guests.
‘Thredbo remains committed to the safety of our guests and our people’ a spokesperson said.
Winds at the resort got up to more than 70mph on Monday and averaged 50mph.
