Swiss snowboarder Sophie Hediger tragically passed away in an avalanche on Monday at the age of 26.
Switzerland’s skiing federation announced the heartbreaking news on Tuesday, revealing that the incident happened at the Arosa resort in the Swiss Alps.
‘We are stunned and our thoughts are with Sophie’s family, to whom we express our deepest condolences,’ federation CEO Walter Reusser said in a statement.
‘For the Swiss Ski family, the tragic death of Sophie Hediger has cast a dark shadow over the Christmas holidays. We are immeasurably sad. We will keep an honorable memory of Sophie.’
Details on the incident are limited. Furthermore, the Swiss-Ski Federation said it would not be releasing any further information about the athlete’s death at her family’s request.
Hediger’s passing came nine days after she turned 26 on December 14.
According to French news outlet Le Parisien, the Grisons cantonal police announced on Monday that the Hediger had died in an avalanche while backcountry skiing. However, the identity of the victim was not released then.
The snowboarder was not located until two hours after emergency services were notified and police opened the investigation.
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Swiss Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger tragically died in an avalanche in the Swiss Alps
