Australian girl, 8, killed in snowmobile accident in Japan
#Australian girl #snowmobile accident #Japan ski resort #Chloe Jeffries #Hakuba Valley #Australian tourist deaths #snowmobile safety #Nagano prefecture
📌 Key Takeaways
- Eight-year-old Australian girl killed in snowmobile accident in Japan
- Snowmobile overturned after going up embankment, trapping the child
- Fourth Australian death at Japanese ski resort this year
- Tour operator canceled activities pending safety review
- Australian government providing consular assistance to family
📖 Full Retelling
An eight-year-old Australian girl from Queensland's Gold Coast has been killed in a snowmobile accident at Hakuba Valley ski resort in Nagano prefecture, Japan on Saturday, when the vehicle overturned after going up an embankment along a forest road, trapping her underneath. Chloe Jeffries was riding tandem with her mother on a snowmobile tour operated by Hakuba Lion Adventure when the accident occurred near 11:00 local time. Despite being airlifted to hospital, the young girl succumbed to her injuries. The tour company, which had nine snowmobiles including three guides on the tour, has canceled all snowmobile and snowshoe activities pending a review of its safety procedures. In a tribute from her netball club, Jeffries was remembered for her 'beautiful nature' and 'her cheeky, infectious smile.' The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed it is providing consular assistance to the grieving family. This tragic incident marks the fourth Australian death at a Japanese ski resort this year, following similar fatalities in January and February that have raised concerns about safety for Australian tourists in Japanese winter destinations.
🏷️ Themes
Tourism Safety, Child Accident, International Incident
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Original Source
Australian girl, 8, killed in snowmobile accident in Japan 6 hours ago Share Save Lana Lam Sydney Share Save An eight-year-old Queensland girl has been killed after she was seriously injured in a snowmobile accident at a Japanese ski resort. Chloe Jeffries, from the Gold Coast, was riding on a snowmobile with her mother in Hakuba Valley, Nagano prefecture, on Saturday when it overturned, trapping her underneath. She was airlifted to hospital but later died. In a tribute from her netball club, Jeffries was remembered for her "beautiful nature" and "her cheeky, infectious smile". Tour operator Hakuba Lion Adventure said the vehicle flipped after going up an embankment along a forest road and that police were investigating. Jeffries is the fourth Australian to have died at a Japanese ski resort this year. In a statement, the tour company's CEO Shinji Wada said the "tragic accident" happened just before 11:00 local time on Saturday. The tour was made up of nine snowmobiles including three guides, he said. "During the tour, near an uphill curve along a forest road, the snowmobile from the front left the course while navigating the curve and rode up onto the embankment at the side of the trail. "The vehicle subsequently overturned back onto the course. As a result of the overturn, the passenger riding tandem on the snowmobile became trapped beneath the vehicle." Wada said it had cancelled all its snowmobile and snowshoe tours until further notice and it would conduct a review of its operations and safety procedures. A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular assistance to the family. Last month, Melbourne man Michael 'Micky' Hurst, 27, died after he became separated from his group of skiers between two ski resorts in the Hokkaido region. It's understood he collapsed suddenly and was taken to hospital but later declared dead. In the same week, a 22-year-old Australian woman died after becoming trapped in a ski lift at a re...
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