A summary of public reports, written by Ski in Sky and checked against each source. It is not an official investigation, and it may change as investigations continue.
What happened
About 13:30 on 8 January a snowboarder in a group of seven riding in the backcountry near a ski area fell into a stream by mistake, head first. The six companions dug through the snow in the stream to get the rider out and called 119, saying the rider was bleeding from the mouth, barely conscious and snoring. The ski area's patrol gave first aid and the fire service took the rider to hospital. The rider later regained consciousness, with mild hypothermia, and was not in danger of death. Police warned that terrain outside the managed area is not maintained and is dangerous.
About 13:30 is when the fall happened, as police described it.
Where
Outside the ski areaA stream near a ski area in the Niseko district of Niseko town, outside the managed area. The ski area is not named.
Known only to the area.
Link to the ski area
Near a ski area, not inside it
UHB: 'ニセコ町ニセコのスキー場近くで…バックカントリースノーボード' (backcountry snowboarding near a ski area in Niseko, Niseko town); police spoke of 'スキー場の管理区域外'. The ski area is not named and it was outside the managed area.
People
Died0
Injured1
Rescued1
What is known about the cause
Not confirmed
- Which ski area, and whether the group left through a gate.
- Depth of the stream and whether a snow bridge collapsed.
Sources
- UHB (Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting) ↗ · 2026-01-09
Last checked against the sources on 2026-10-22.