Report on ropeway accident in Surnadal Alpine Centre, on 17 March 2025

The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority’s investigation focused on entanglement in ski lifts in general, and the use of race bibs for young children in particular. The investigation also examined risk assessments as an important tool in the safety management of ski facilities.

The NSIA's safety investigation included an on-site inspection of the ski centre, interviews with relevant personnel and witnesses, and examinations were made of the race bib that was used. The investigation also focused on the organisation’s safety management system, risk assessments and instructions, as well as applicable requirements and standards.

The NSIA is of the opinion that several factors contributed to the accident:

• The child was fitted with a race bib that was too large and had several points where the carrier could become entangled. The race bib was made of a relatively durable material for its intended use and lacked any weak points designed to give way in the event of entanglement. The design had not been risk-assessed with regard to the end user by any part of the garment’s distribution chain, including the Norwegian Ski Federation, Telenor and the alpine skiing group.
  
  
• The child boarded the lift without any employees at the ski centre identifying that the bib posed a risk of entanglement. The investigation revealed that Surnadal Ski Centre had established a safety management system, but there was a lack of a systematic approach to the safety work. The centre's safety management system did not contain, among other things, any risk assessments. Responsibility for assessing and ensuring the safety of individual guests therefore largely rested with individual employees, without adequate support for decision-making from the safety management system.
  
  
• No adults observed that the child was being dragged behind the carrier by an entangled race bib that was tightening around the child’s neck. Although there were several points from which the lift line could be monitored, continuous supervision of the entire ski centre was not feasible in practice. Instructions and procedures at the facility had not taken this into account.

Risk-mitigating barriers functioned as intended: the stop cord activated the emergency stop, and personnel at the centre responded quickly and effectively. Their response was most likely decisive in ensuring that the child survived.

The NSIA assesses that, in order to avoid similar incidents, the most important measure is to prevent entanglement from occurring in the first place; and secondarily, to prevent entanglement from developing into a critical situation.

To avoid entanglement, it is essential to ensure that children are not issued with race bibs that may pose a safety risk. The investigation shows that there are many actors in the distribution chain for race bibs that have both the ability and responsibility to safeguard the end user’s safety. These actors must take into account what can reasonably be expected of the user in terms of managing their own safety. The Telenorkarusellen skiing competition has no minimum age limit, meaning that users of the bibs may be young children who do not have the capacity to assess the safety of the garment, free themselves, or raise an alarm if assistance is needed. Entanglement can also be prevented by the ski centre implementing procedures that prevent children wearing loose-fitting clothing or equipment with potential snag points from using the lift. Should entanglement nevertheless occur, supervision must be organised so that the situation can be detected and prevented from escalating.

Challenges related to entanglement involving young children on ski lifts must be reflected in the facility’s instructions and procedures within the safety management system, and be based on risk assessments. The system must be adapted to the design and operation of each individual ski facility.

Following the accident, several of the actors involved have implemented measures to prevent similar incidents. Surnadal Ski Centre has, among other things, prepared a risk assessment and has initiated a complete update of its safety management system. The alpine skiing group within Surnadal IL (Surnadal Sports Club) has switched to using more closely-fitting bibs. The Norwegian Ski Federation has changed the design of its new bibs by replacing the elasticated side panels with Velcro. The neck opening, which the NSIA considers to be the most critical point, has not been modified. However, the Norwegian Ski Federation has issued an information notice to organisers of Telenorkarusellen, emphasising the importance of an adult always being present during boarding, disembarkation and while the lift is in use when race bibs are worn. As continuous supervision of all children at the facility is difficult in practice, this means that the Norwegian Ski Federation has to a greater extent shifted responsibility for participants’ safety to the organisers and ski centres.

Following the investigation, the NSIA has issued one safety recommendation to the Norwegian Railway Authority requesting follow-up to ensure that Surnadal Ski Centre’s safety management system is adapted to their operation and contributes appropriately to safe operations. In addition, the NSIA wishes to convey six learning points for the alpine ski sector and actors in the distribution chain for race bibs. 

Lower part of the lift in Surnadal Alpine Centre. Photo: NSIA

Published 18.02.2026