Kyle Smaine dead at 31: World champion skier dies in avalanche as tributes pour in | The Sun

A world champion skier has tragically died in an avalanche aged 31.

Kyle Smaine's family confirmed the American star was in Japan when the snow collapsed.

Smaine had travelled to the Far East for the "unbelievable snow quality" and to promote the country's tourism following the pandemic.

But he sadly lost his life alongside an unnamed Austrian skier on the slopes of the 2,469m Hakuba Norikura mountain near the Tsugaike ski resort.

Smaine's fellow American skier Adam Ü was also trapped in the avalanche on Sunday afternoon.

However, he was pulled out in the rescue effort.

Ü said: “We saw it coming.

"We heard the crack. We realised it [was] a big one.

"We started running and then we got hit.”

Police added that three people were able to get down the mountain safely despite the sudden rush of snow.

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