A pupil at a Bristol school has died in a tragic skiing accident in northern Italy over the weekend. The 14-year-old, who has not yet been named, was a pupil at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital School (QEH) in Bristol, and parents and pupils have been informed by email of the tragedy.
The boy, who is in Year 9 at the school, was skiing in the resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Italian Alps when he left an intermediate red run and hit a tree, it was reported in Italy.
The boy’s parents were with him on the slope as paramedics from the nearby town of Pieve di Cadore tried in vain to save his life. The Metro reported that local authorities in Cortina said he had been wearing a crash helmet but suffered serious chest injuries in the incident, which happened at the start of the day on Saturday.
QEH School, based on the Jacobs Wells Road in the centre of Bristol, informed parents of the tragedy over the weekend and pastoral care has been put in place for the pupils arriving back at school from the half-term break to the news.
Gianluca Lorenzi, the mayor of Cortina, said: “I feel deeply sorry for this English boy, and both personally and on behalf of the municipal administration, we send our thoughts to the family affected by this immense tragedy,”
Francesco Cataldo Giorgi, of the Happy Ski school in Cortina, told the Corriere Del Veneto: ‘The boy had gained a lot of speed, found a dip that was a sort of boost for him, he was no longer able to control the descent and crashed into the tree.
‘It was very bad luck. If he had fallen a few meters earlier or later, nothing would have happened. Unfortunately, in this sport, a fall in the wrong place is enough to lose your life,” he added.
QEH head Rupert Heathcote said: “Out of deep respect for the family involved, we are unable to provide any details. We appreciate your cooperation in allowing them space to grieve. Our community is deeply saddened, and we are concentrating on supporting our pupils and staff.”