Red Lodge Mountain Montana: Man dies after falling from faulty chair lift at ski resort - leaving behind wife and two-year-old son

The snowboarder, Jeffrey Zinne, 37, plunged from height at just around noon on Monday (10 March) at Red Lodge Mountain in Montana, US. More than 100 people who were on the lift - known as the Triple Chair - at the time were evacuated by ski patrollers who used ropes to lower them to the ground.

Jeffrey, who was a dad, was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead early Wednesday from injuries suffered in the fall, according to police and the coroner. Troy Hawks, Red Lodge Mountain spokesperson, said the lift had a mechanical problem at the time the snowboarder fell. He said the circumstances will continue to be investigated with weather conditions and the victim's actions being looked at.

Some other chairlifts across the ski region were closed on the morning of the accident because of high winds. Wind gusts of about 50 mph (80.4 kph) were recorded in the area shortly before and after the accident, according to the National Weather Service.

Staff at the ski area inspect its chairlifts daily, Mr Hawks said. A professional inspection is conducted annually as required by Red Lodge Mountain's insurance carrier and the US Forest Service, which leases land to the ski area, he said.

Jeffrey was married with a two-year-old son and owned the Montana Air Cartage freight hauling company, according to a post on a GoFundMe fundraising site set up on his family’s behalf. "He was more than just a boss for many people here. He was a friend, a mentor," said Jessice Sande, a manager at Montana Air Cartage.