5-Year-Old Boy Dies After Freak Accident at Ski Resort

A winter family getaway in Japan turned into every parent’s nightmare when a young boy was fatally injured on a ski resort’s moving walkway.

Authorities say 5-year-old Hinata Goto was visiting a ski area in Otaru, a scenic city on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, when his arm became trapped in the gears of a “magic carpet” conveyor belt used to carry skiers uphill.

Witnesses say Hinata fell while trying to step off the narrow belt, which measured just over 2 feet wide and had no handrails. His right arm was pulled deep into the machinery.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene after his mother frantically hit the emergency stop button—but the system failed to shut down. Firefighters worked for nearly 40 minutes to free the unconscious boy, still dressed in his tiny ski suit. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital.

“It’s devastating,” one resort worker told local reporters. “That lift is used by so many children learning to ski. We’ve always worried something like this could happen.”

Installed six years ago, the 30-meter conveyor was designed to give beginners and kids a gentle way to climb slopes. Locals say it has long been a source of concern. “It shakes when the slope angle changes,” one regular skier said. “Honestly, it’s scary.”

Japanese police are now investigating possible mechanical failure and whether the resort properly maintained the walkway. Safety experts say the tragedy has reignited debate about outdated ski infrastructure across Japan, where “magic carpet” belts are popular at family-friendly slopes.

A nearby instructor, who asked not to be named, said he hopes Hinata’s death leads to major reforms. “These machines shouldn’t still be operating without modern safeguards,” he said. “No parent should have to lose a child over something so preventable.”