Methven, New Zealand – A fourth fatality at Mt. Hutt ski area this season occurred Friday morning when an unidentified male snowboarder, believed to be in his thirties, caught an edge on his first run of the day on International while traversing across a groomed run to the base of the triple chairlift.nAfter falling, the victim slid over 200 meters past the chairlift and through a rock-strewn area outside of the ski area boundary. He was not wearing a helmet.

Mt. Hutt Ski Patrol responded and a doctor stabilized him at the scene. He was taken to the Mt. Hutt Medical Room before being transferred by Westpac Helicopter to Christchurch Hospital where he later died.

The name of the man will not be released until next of kin have been notified.

Mt. Hutt Ski Area manager Dave Wilson extended his deepest condolences to friends and family of the man. He said it had been a “devastating” season at the ski area. Earlier this season a Christchurch woman died while skiing outside the ski area boundary, and an American died in a separate incident when skiing off trail. A 60-year-old man died when his car left the ski area access road.

“We will be conducting a full internal investigation into this incident and will work fully with any external investigation,” Wilson said. “This has hit our patrollers very hard and the entire management and staff at Mt. Hutt are devastated, to say the least.”