Overview
- DFAT said it is providing consular assistance to Hurst’s family and offered condolences.
- Hurst, 27, from Melbourne, was skiing off-piste between Niseko Moiwa and Niseko Annupuri with a group of seven when he fell behind, was found unconscious by other skiers who performed CPR, and later died in hospital.
- Local police reported no visible injuries when he was found and have launched an investigation into the circumstances of his death.
- The fatality follows the recent death of 22-year-old Brooke Day after a chairlift entanglement in Nagano, prompting safety reviews and community tributes, including flags at half-mast at Hurst’s former school.
- These incidents have occurred during a powerful snowfall season in Japan, with disaster agency figures reporting dozens of snow-related deaths and Hokkaido data showing most recent backcountry accidents involve foreign nationals.