A five-year-old boy has died in a tragic accident at a ski resort in northern Japan after becoming trapped in a moving travelator.
Details of the Otaru Ski Resort Tragedy
The victim, identified as Hinata Goto from Sapporo, was on a family skiing trip to the Asari ski resort in Otaru, Hokkaido, when the incident occurred on Sunday. According to police reports cited by Kyodo news agency, the boy fell as he attempted to disembark from the 30-metre-long moving walkway.
This walkway, which connects the resort's car park to a ski slope, is known locally as a "snow escalator." Hinata's right arm became caught in the machinery's winding mechanism. His mother pressed the emergency stop button, but officials stated the safety mechanism designed to halt the belt when an object is trapped appeared to have failed.
Emergency Response and Safety Failings
Firefighters were called to the scene and managed to free the unconscious boy approximately 40 minutes after the emergency call. He was pronounced dead after being transported to hospital. The Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported that no staff members were on duty near the travelator at the time of the accident.
The design of the walkway has come under intense scrutiny. Installed six years ago, it is described as being only 60cm wide and lacking handrails. A regular visitor to the resort, a man in his 70s, told Kyodo the conveyor was "scary," noting that changes in the slope's angle cause it to shake and that he had also stumbled on it.
Investigation and Calls for Action
Police in Hokkaido have launched an investigation into the incident, with media reports suggesting possible charges of professional negligence resulting in death. A representative of the Asari ski resort has apologised for the accident.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the local community. A man who works near the popular resort told the Asahi Shimbun: "Many children use the resort to practise skiing. I hope there will be a proper investigation and measures to ensure something like this never happens again." The resort's safety mechanisms are now the central focus of the ongoing probe.
