5-year-old dies after arm trapped in escalator at Hokkaido Ski Resort

Dubai: A five-year-old boy has died at a Japanese ski resort after his arm became trapped in an outdoor moving walkway, prompting an investigation into why the machine’s automated safety systems failed to engage.

Hinata Goto, a kindergartner from Sapporo, was visiting the Asari Ski Resort in Otaru, Hokkaido, with his family on Sunday morning. According to local police, the boy was using the belt-conveyor style escalator to travel from the car park to the slopes when the incident occurred at approximately 10am.

Mechanical failure at the summit

The boy, who was wearing full ski gear and boots, reportedly fell as he approached the exit of the 60-centimetre-wide travelator. His right arm was subsequently pulled into the winding mechanism at the top of the belt.

Despite the walkway being equipped with an emergency stop function designed to halt the motor if a foreign object is detected, resort officials confirmed the system failed to trigger automatically. The boy’s mother was forced to press the manual stop button herself before calling emergency services.

Emergency response and recovery

It took rescue crews and fire department personnel approximately 40 minutes to free the child from the mechanism. He was transported to a local hospital in an unconscious state but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

The outdoor escalator, which lacks handrails, is a common feature at the resort, used by skiers to avoid stairs between the parking facilities and the snow. Operators told local media that the safety sensors had been tested and were functioning correctly during a routine inspection earlier that morning.

Safety investigation launched

Hokkaido prefectural police have launched a formal investigation into the tragedy, focusing on the mechanical failure of the safety shut-off and whether the lack of handrails contributed to the boy’s initial fall.

The resort remains open, though the walkway has been cordoned off as forensic teams and safety inspectors examine the machinery to determine how the child became entangled despite the presence of protective housing.