Woman killed after being buried in Japanese avalanche was 21-year-old born in UK

12 March 2024 , 12:18

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Isabella Bolton, 21, was skiing on Mt Yotei, near Hokkaido in northern Japan, when she and another visitor were killed in an avalanche

One of two skiers killed in an avalanche in Japan on Monday was born in Britain, her family have said in a statement.

Isabella Bolton, 21, was skiing on Mt Yotei, near Hokkaido in northern Japan, when a slope collapsed burying her and two other visitors under snow.

Local firefighters rushed to the scene around 11am once the alarm had been raised but Ms Bolton and an unnamed male skier in his 30s were both found unresponsive at the scene.

Rescuers airlifted the pair to hospital from the slopes of the inactive volcano where they had been skiing, but they could not be saved. The website Snow Brains reported that they are believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest when they were trapped under the snow.

New Zealander Isabella Bolton was born in Watford, England, but grew up in Diamond Harbour and Heathcote Valley south of Christchurch, in New Zealand, her family said.

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In a statement they paid tribute to their daughter who was “full of life” and had an “adventurous spirit” with a love for skiing.

Isabella Bolton was born in England but grew up south of Christchurch in New Zealand

“It is with a heavy heart that we confirm the passing of our beloved Isabella Bolton, 21, in an avalanche accident in Hokkaido, Japan,” they told the New Zealand Herald.

“Isabella was full of vitality and passion for life. Her adventurous spirit and love for skiing and the outdoors led her to study for a Diploma in Outdoor Adventure Guiding in Banff, Canada.”

Isabella worked on ski fields in Canada, Wānaka and Tekapo, she travelled to Niseko, Japan, and in November 2023 where she was thriving in her job as a ski guide.

"Our family would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of her fellow colleague and friend whose life was also tragically lost," they added.

Mt. Yotei is a popular skiing destination in Japan (Getty Images)

A group of six backcountry skiers were struck by the deadly avalanche on Monday, killing Isabella and the unnamed man and injuring a third person.

The Japan Times reported the group were 650-700 metres above the foot of the northern slope of Mt Yotei, which stands 1898m tall, when the avalanche hit. Meteorologists had not issued an avalanche warning at the time of the incident, meanwhile an estimated five to ten centimetres of snow had fallen in the 48-hour period leading up to the accident.

The area is a popular tourist destination. Japanese authorities including the police and fire department are still investigating the incident. The New Zealand Embassy has offered consular support to the families of those involved.

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