‘Freak’ Gust of Wind Causes Chairlift Incident

Three snowboarders sustained injuries after a gust of wind derailed their chair at Threadbo ski resort in Australia.

The Chairlift that fell in the incident at Treadbo | Treadbo Resort photo.

SafeWork NSW is investigating after a chairlift on the Kosciuszko Quad Express fell several metres onto the snow near Eagles Nest at around 2.20pm on Saturday.

Three boarders were plunged to the ground as they approached the top of the mountain. Two women in their 20s were taken to Canberra Hospital by helicopter with back injuries and a man in his 20s was taken to Cooma Health Service with facial injuries.

Thredbo Ski Resort says the chairlift accident was caused by a "freak gust of wind" and that no other chairs were affected. "The incident is currently being thoroughly investigated by SafeWork NSW and an independent engineer," the resort said in a statement.

Treadbo Resort | Treadbo Resort photo.

This is such an unfortunate incident, and I must say a little hard to believe that it is isolated to just the one chair on the nearly two-kilometer-long lift. We search for solace in the perception of safety when riding the chairlift yet strong winds and long stoppages are just two of the unnerving realities of riding the chair. Hearing that a strong gust of wind could cause this large of a malfunction. I’m sure Threadbo will take all necessary precautions to ensure nothing like this will happen again. Stay safe out there!