Utah ski resort employee dies after being ejected by chairlift
Christian Helger, 29, was identified as the Park City Mountain resort employee who died when a tree hit a chairlift just behind where he was seated
A Utah ski resort employee who died after being ejected from a chairlift on Monday has been identified.
Christian Helger, 29, died after plunging around 25 feet (7.6m) into a deep snow ravine when a tree fell onto a chair lift cable at the Park City Mountain resort, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
Helger, a resident of Millcreek, was the second person to die at the resort in two days after a 75-year-old skier collapsed and suffered a medical episode on Sunday, according to CBS affiliate KUTV.
The sheriff’s office said it received an emergency request from Park City Mountain Ski Patrol at 11.25am on 2 December.
Members of the ski patrol attempted lifesaving CPR and evacuated 10 others who were riding on the chairlift. But Helger could not be revived and was pronounced dead.
The Utah Office of the Medical Examiner will determine his cause of death.
Investigators believe the pine tree hit the Short Cut lift cable just behind where Helger was seated.
In a statement to KUTV, the resort’s vice president Deirdra Walsh said: “We are all deeply saddened by this tragic incident, and we will be providing support for our employees as we grieve this devastating loss.”
Friends paid tribute on social media to Helger, who was an experienced mountain climber and ski guide.
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