A World Cup skier and his girlfriend have tragically lost their lives after they fell 2,300 feet in a horror accident on Mount Zerbion in Italy's Aosta Valley.
World Cup skier Jean Daniel Pession, 28, and his girlfriend Elisa Arlian, 26, had set off for a hike but failed to return home, prompting their concerned families to contact authorities, per PEOPLE.
Elisa Arlian was not only Pession's girlfriend but also a ski instructor and teacher, sharing a deep love for the sport.
Search and rescue teams, including firefighters and helicopters, were deployed after receiving the distress call.
Using a signal from one of their phones, the search team located the couple near the summit. When rescuers reached the site, they found Pession and Arlian still tied together but buried in the snow.
Pession was a prominent figure in the skiing world, having finished 15th in the World Cup.
The Italian Winter Sports Federation released a statement confirming the tragic news: "A terrible tragedy strikes the world of winter sports and speed skiing in particular. Jean Daniel Pession, a 28-year-old member of the World Cup team, lost his life in a tragic mountain accident that occurred above Champoluc. His girlfriend also died together with Pession."
Reflecting on his career, the Federation noted: "Over the course of his career, the Aosta Valley native had achieved the best results in 2021, placing fifteenth in the final World Cup ranking, while at the World Championships he came 22nd in Vars in 2022. President Flavio Roda and the entire Federation express their condolences to the Pession family for this tragic misfortune.”
A doctor confirmed that the pair suffered "obvious fall injuries," though the exact cause of the accident remains unknown. Their funerals were expected to be held in their home villages this morning.
Italian broadcasting station RAI reported: “They had set out early in the morning to reach a peak both knew well. They were almost at the summit, just a step away, when suddenly they were betrayed by the mountain they loved so much. When they were found, they were still tied together, like in a final embrace.”
Alberto Bertin of Aosta Valley also shared his condolences: “Two young lives cut short by a mountain accident, that mountain which was their passion. In this moment of deep sadness, we express our closeness to the families, friends, and the entire sports community, embracing them with affection and compassion.”
Our thoughts are with Pession and Arlian's loved ones at this difficult time.
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