Swiss woman in her 20s, 'Snowboard Queen', dies in Alps avalanche

Local Ski Association "Tragic... Deeply Shocked"

Jophi Hediger (26), a Swiss national snowboarder and medalist, tragically passed away after being caught in an avalanche.

According to foreign media including the AP News, the Swiss Ski Association announced on the 24th (local time) that "Hediger passed away due to an avalanche near the Arosa Resort close to Davos, Switzerland." However, the association refrained from disclosing specific details of the accident after consulting with the bereaved family.

Swiss snowboard national team member Zhopi Hediger. Personal social networking service (SNS) capture

Born in 1998, Hediger represented Switzerland in the snowboard cross event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Earlier this year, in January and February, she also won silver and bronze medals at the International Ski Federation (FIS) Snowboard World Cup.

Walter R?egger, president of the Swiss Ski Association, expressed, "I am deeply shocked," and added, "She passed away tragically and far too early. I extend my deepest condolences to Hediger's family."

Davos, Switzerland, where Hediger died, is a tourist city known for its famous ski resorts and is also a convention city hosting the annual World Economic Forum. It is surrounded by the Alps, the highest mountain range in Europe.

While the Alps are famous as a resort and ski destination, large avalanches and landslides occasionally occur. In particular, due to global warming, the permafrost in the high-altitude areas of the Alps is melting, leading to an increasing number of incidents where parts of the mountains collapse.