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Skiers fall from Whistler chair in two separate incidents

An adult and a child fell off the Big Red Express Chair on Whistler Mountain this week in two separate incidents.

Last Saturday a Vancouver women fell after her ski tip caught while she was reaching for a dropped pole. She fell 15 to 20 feet just seconds after loading. She injured her ribs and shoulder.

On Monday a seven-year-old ski school student slipped from the chair when his ski became caught in the snow after leaving the loading area. He was apparently not injured despite falling about 20 feet into the snow.

No names have been released.

Whistler-Blackcomb spokesperson Christina Moore said the incidents were unrelated.

Ski patrol officials came to both incidents and took the woman and the boy to the Whistler Health Care Centre.

Said Moore: "With over two million skier visits annually and each visitor riding a lift approximately six times, statistically, such falls from chair lifts happen very infrequently."

Roger Young, spokesman for the B.C. Safety Authority said a preliminary report has been completed on the first incident.

"These investigations do take some time to get done," said Young.

"All I can tell you is that it is incomplete but that is quite normal. We were appraised of the incident by Whistler Mountain resorts and one of our safety officers did a preliminary investigation and it is still ongoing and the information has not all been gathered yet."