A 22-year-old Australian snowboarder, Brooke Day, lost her life in a freak chairlift accident at Tsugaike Mountain Resort in Otari, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, on Friday, January 30, 2026. The young woman, originally from Queensland and on a working holiday in Japan where she worked as a receptionist at a physiotherapy clinic, was enjoying a day on the slopes with friends when the tragedy unfolded around 9 a.m.

According to statements from Tsugaike Gondola Lift Co. and local police in Nagano Omachi, Brooke attempted to disembark from the chairlift as normal. However, the unfastened waist belt buckle on her backpack became entangled in part of the lift chair mechanism. While the buckle hooked securely, her chest strap remained fastened across her body, preventing the backpack from detaching. This caused her to be pulled off balance and dragged along the snowy ground before the lift carried her upward, leaving her suspended in mid-air by the chest strap alone.

An alert attendant quickly pressed the emergency stop button, halting the lift. Resort staff rushed to provide first aid, but Brooke had already suffered cardiac arrest from the ordeal. She was transported to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival despite resuscitation efforts. The exact sequence—being dragged then suspended—likely contributed to severe physical trauma, shock, and the cardiac event, though a full autopsy and investigation will confirm precise medical causes.

The Tsugaike Mountain Resort and Tsugaike Gondola Lift Co. issued an immediate apology, expressing deep condolences to Brooke’s family and friends. Company chief executive Kubo Tsuneo stated: “Because the chest strap of the backpack was fastened, the backpack did not detach from the guest’s body, and the guest was dragged along with the backpack after disembarking from the lift.” The operator promised to launch a thorough probe into the incident and pledged to offer maximum assistance to the grieving family.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed they are providing consular support to Brooke’s loved ones and sent their “deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time.” Brooke’s death has sent shockwaves through the Australian expat and backpacker community in Japan, where many young people head for seasonal work in ski resorts during the Northern Hemisphere winter.

Chairlift accidents, though rare, highlight ongoing safety concerns in the industry. The incident follows other recent tragedies, including a German tourist who died at Savin Kuk resort in Montenegro after a chair slid backward and collided, trapping his wife, and a 2025 cable failure at Astún ski resort in Spain that injured dozens when chairs plunged from height. In Brooke’s case, the entanglement stemmed from an unsecured waist buckle combined with a secure chest strap—a combination that turned a routine dismount into a fatal trap.

Experts in ski lift safety note that backpacks pose particular risks on detachable or fixed-grip lifts. Loose straps or unsecured items can snag on chairs, unloading ramps, or machinery, especially during the critical exit phase when riders stand and slide away. Many resorts post warnings to remove backpacks or wear them front-facing, but enforcement varies. In high-volume tourist areas like Hakuba Valley—home to Tsugaike—international visitors may not always notice or heed signage in English or their native languages.

Brooke’s story underscores the vulnerability of young travelers pursuing adventure abroad. On a working holiday visa, she balanced work at the physio clinic with snowboarding passion, a common path for Australians seeking snow seasons in Japan. Friends described her as vibrant, adventurous, and full of life—qualities that made her death all the more heartbreaking. Social media tributes flooded in from those who knew her, sharing photos of her smiling on slopes and messages of disbelief at how quickly a perfect day turned tragic.

The resort’s swift response—stopping the lift and providing immediate aid—likely prevented further incidents that day, but questions remain about prevention. Could better buckle checks, mandatory backpack removal protocols, or redesigned unloading zones reduce such risks? Industry advocates call for standardized global guidelines, especially as climate change brings more variable snow conditions and attracts growing numbers of international visitors to resorts in Japan, Europe, and North America.

For Brooke’s family and friends, the loss is unimaginable—a young life full of promise extinguished in seconds by a seemingly minor oversight. Her story serves as a stark reminder: even on familiar slopes, vigilance with gear is essential. Unfastened straps, overlooked warnings, or split-second distractions can turn thrill into irreversible tragedy.

As the probe continues, Brooke Day’s memory endures through those who loved her and the broader skiing community now reflecting on safety. One backpack buckle—left unclipped—became the difference between a great run and a fatal accident, leaving the world to mourn a vibrant 22-year-old taken far too soon.