A visitor to Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort in California captured a video of a teenage girl falling from a ski lift ahead of him. Multiple media outlets are reporting emergency services transported the girl to a hospital, but her condition is unknown at this time.
An Instagram user recorded this video of the incident on January 27:
The video starts with the ski lift stopped and the girl dangling from her seat. A group of people are below, preparing to catch her, and then she drops to the ground.
The person who posted it wrote, “The ski patrol failed this girl today, totally missing catching her with the net after convincing her everything was okay … Mammoth needs to do better!”
The ski resort did speak with local media and stated this about the incident:
“As the chair began its ascent, the guest, who for unknown reasons was not completely seated, began sliding off the chair. The other individuals on the chair grabbed hold of the guest and held her from falling as lift operators stopped the lift.”
They went on to say, “Our thoughts are with the guest and her family.”
Ski Lift Safety
The National Ski Areas Association has these ski lift safety tips on its website:
- Be familiar with the type of lift you are riding, and ask for help if you need it.
- Before loading, remove backpacks and secure loose items. Remove pole straps from wrists.
- Look over your shoulder to watch the chair approach.
- Sit all the way in the chair, with your back to the seat rest.
- If the lift has a restraint bar, wait until everyone is seated, and slowly reach up and lower the bar. Do not attempt to lower the bar if you cannot reach it! Adults should always help kids to lower the bar.
- Be aware of your surroundings while riding the lift. If you drop something, let it fall! You can always ask ski patrol for help retrieving the lost item.
- As you approach the top terminal, prepare to raise the bar. Look for signs advising you to do so to help with your timing.
