Australian snowboarder Brooke Day dies in Japanese ski lift accident

An Australian snowboarder has died after a ski lift accident at a Japanese resort.

Brooke Day, 22, died after being suspended from a ski lift at a resort in Japan’s Nagano prefecture on Friday morning (local time). The incident occurred when Day was caught on the lift while attempting to disembark.

She was working in Japan as a receptionist at a physio clinic in Hakuba, within the same prefecture as the resort, describing herself as a people person who loved “getting to know the patients and making them feel welcome and seen”.

Japanese media previously identified the 22-year-old as Ella Day Brooke, but sources close to her family have clarified her identity to this masthead.

The ski lift buckle became tangled with Day’s backpack, according to Tsugaike Mountain Resort chief executive Tsuneo Kubo, causing the snowboarder to be dragged along the lift as it turned in the opposite direction.

The backpack could not be removed from Brooke’s body, as her chest belt remained fastened.

The lift was stopped by an attendant, who pressed an emergency button to render first aid to Day. The Australian, from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, was rushed to hospital after suffering what appeared to be a cardiac arrest, according to Kubo, and was confirmed dead on Sunday.

“We would like to express our deepest condolences to the bereaved family and pray for the repose of their souls,” Kubo said. “We will do our utmost to respond to the needs of our deceased customers and their families.”

Day’s death is being investigated by local police, while the resort has pledged to review safety measures to prevent another tragedy. The investigation is expected to analyse security camera footage of the incident.

The incident occurred on the Tsuga No. 2 pair lift at the Tsugaike Mountain Resort, a fixed-grip chairlift travelling at approximately 2.5 metres per second, which can carry about 1000 people per hour.

The lift was closed on Saturday, and will remain shut until attendants can assure its safety. Kubo said the resort took the matter “very seriously”, and would ensure all customers could use the equipment in a “safe manner”.

The death comes weeks after a five-year-old boy was killed at a ski resort in northern Japan after his arm was trapped in a magic carpet ski lift. First responders reported the boy fell while attempting to disembark from the conveyor-belt style lift at Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort in Otaru, Hokkaido. The boy was pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital.

Japan has emerged as the premiere winter destination for Australians in December and January, as favourable exchange rates and cultural value have seen it preferred to skiing holidays in North America and Europe.

More than one million Australians visited Japan in 2025, according to the Japanese National Tourism Organisation, marking the first year that tourism numbers eclipsed one million visitors. It represented a 15 per cent increase on the record numbers registered in 2024.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed it was providing consular assistance to Day’s family.

“We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time,” the spokesperson said.

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