Italian skiers are in mourning after the tragic deaths of professional skier Jean Daniel Pession and his girlfriend, Elisa Arlian, in a mountain accident on June 1. The Italian Winter Sports Federation confirmed that Pession, 28, and Arlian, 27, fell nearly 2,300 feet while hiking Mount Zerbion in Italy’s Aosta Valley region.
Their bodies were discovered buried in the snow hours after their families reported them missing when they did not return from their hike. Search and rescue teams faced a difficult search, with no visible signs on the rock to indicate where they had fallen. Ultimately, the rescuers were able to locate the couple by tracing their cell phone signal. They were found tied together, as if in a final embrace, just a step away from the summit.
Pession was an accomplished skier who had placed 15th in the 2021 World Cup finals and 22nd at the 2022 World Championships. Federation President Flavio Roda expressed his condolences for this devastating loss for the winter sports community. The Italian Winter Sports Federation extended their sympathies to the families and skiing community grieving this heartbreaking event.
One rescue worker poignantly said that “the mountain betrayed them.” The loss of Pession and Arlian has left a profound impact on the skiing world and will be remembered for their passion and talent in the sport.
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