A 10-year-old girl died in hospital Tuesday night after hitting a pole while skiing at a ski resort in southern Alberta.
Pincher Creek RCMP said emergency responders were called to Castle Mountain Resort in Pincher Creek at around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday after the girl suffered serious head injuries.
The girl was on a school trip with Canyon Elementary School at the time. RCMP said she lost control while skiing and struck a pole. She was wearing a helmet at the time, police said.
Jason Crawford, sales and marketing manager at Castle Mountain Resort, said the injured girl was found at the bottom of Buffalo Flats.
Staff at the ski hill attended to the girl until RCMP and EMS arrived. She was taken to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary where she was pronounced dead at around 9:45 p.m.
Due to the weather, police said the girl was taken to hospital by ground ambulance.
“STARS couldn’t attend because the wind was so high they couldn’t land,” Sgt. Mark Harrison said. “We did get in to a pretty good snowstorm later in the day, but at the time of the incident, I don’t know for sure whether it was snowing.”
Crawford said the ski resort learn of the girl’s death overnight.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to her family and friends,” Crawford said in a statement.
RCMP victim services has been brought in to offer support to the girl’s family, as well as staff and students at Canyon School.
About 275 Kindergarten to Grade 6 students attend Canyon School in Pincher Creek, according to the school’s website.
RCMP and the medical examiner are investigating the girl’s death. Her name is not being released.
Castle Mountain Ski Resort is located about 145 kilometres southwest of Lethbridge.
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