Skier Dies in Klosters, Switzerland, After Hitting Information Board

In the afternoon of Saturday, January 4, tragedy occurred at the Parsenn Gotschna ski area in Klosters, Switzerland, when a 24-year-old skier from Germany lost his life following a high-speed collision. The incident occurred shortly after 2:00 p.m. near the Kreuzweglift Valley station on the descent toward Schifferbahn.

According to the police report, the accident involved a collision between two skiers. The impact was so forceful that the German skier was propelled into a nearby information board. Despite the board being padded for safety, the skier suffered severe injuries. Rescue efforts by the Parsenn team and a Rega air ambulance crew were immediate but unsuccessful, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The second skier involved sustained only minor injuries.

The Graubünden public prosecutor’s office, in collaboration with the cantonal police, has launched an investigation into the accident.

Klosters is a world-renowned ski resort in the Swiss Alps, famed for its picturesque charm and status as a favorite destination for celebrities and the British Royal Family. Situated in the canton of Graubünden, it is part of the larger Davos Klosters skiing area, offering extensive slopes and modern facilities. The ski area combines five ski resorts that offer a total of 253 kilometers (157 miles) of groomed runs serviced by 44 ski lifts. The Parsenn Gotschna ski resort, where the accident occurred, is particularly popular among intermediate and advanced skiers for its long descents and breathtaking Alpine views.

While skiing collisions are not uncommon, fatalities involving information boards are rare. Last year, a 15-year-old U.S. visitor died after hitting an information board in Banff, Canada. In 2022, a 26-year-old Dutch skier died in Fiss-Ladis in Tyrol, Austria, after colliding with a panorama sign on the slope. Such incidents have raised questions about the placement and padding of these boards, which are critical for providing guidance to skiers but can become fatal hazards during high-speed accidents.