Young rugby player dies in freak ski lift accident as club pays tribute

A beloved Australian rugby player has died at the age of 22 following a freak accident at a ski resort in Japan.

Brooke Day was snowboarding at Tsugaike Mountain Resort in Otari on Friday when she became stuck in a chairlift at the resort, with the lift buckle reportedly becoming tangled with her backpack as she tried to get off. It is understood she was then dragged along by the lift as it turned in the opposite direction, before it was stopped by a worker hitting an emergency button.

Ms Day is understood to have gone into cardiac arrest before being rushed to hospital, where she was tragically later confirmed dead.

The 22-year-old, from the Sunshine Coast, was reportedly working as a physio clinic receptionist in nearby Hakuba, around five miles away from the resort.

Back in Australia, she played for Queensland rugby club Nambour Toads, while she had recently stepped away from playing Aussie rules football.

In an emotional tribute, her former club Maroochydore Roos described her as a "little legend" and a "cherished teammate".

"It is with much heartbreak and sadness that we send out this tribute at the loss of one of the Roos family," a club statement read. "Recently whilst working and enjoying time in Japan and as a result of a tragic accident, Brooke Day lost her life.

"Brooke played with the Roos over her junior and senior football years. Only recently taking a step back due to injury. She was a talented young football player and cherished team mate.

"She was always a positive and vibrant part of the group, always had a smile on her face and despite various setbacks she never brought her disappointments to the side," the tribute continued.

"She was and will always be a much loved and valued member of the Roos family and be missed beyond measure."

In a statement following the accident, ski lift operator Tsugaike Gondola Lift Co said that a "buckle at the end of an unfastened waist belt attached to a backpack carried by a customer became caught in the lift carriage".

"Because the chest strap was fastened, the backpack remained attached to the body," the company said. "After disembarking the lift, the customer was dragged along with the backpack.

"Subsequently, staff pressed the stop button to halt the lift. Prompt rescue efforts were carried out, and the customer was transported by ambulance."