Italian Ski Champion and Girlfriend Found Dead After Mountain Trek

An Italian professional skier and his girlfriend tragically died in a fall while skiing on a mountain standing at an elevation of 2700 m (approximately 8858 ft.). According to recent Italian media reports, alpine skier Jean Daniel Pession and his girlfriend Elisa Arlian were found dead on June 1. Both were veteran skiers, and Arlian also worked as a ski instructor. The couple were found dead after falling near the summit of Mount Zerbion, one of the most famous ski-mountaineering destinations in Aosta Valley.

When the couple didn’t return from their ski mountaineering trip, their worried families reported them missing. An emergency rescue team was dispatched to the scene. After several hours of search operations, a cell phone signal was finally detected, leading to the discovery of their bodies buried in the snow. The couple were found embracing each other, evoking a sense of deep sorrow. In the 2021 International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Alpine Ski World Cup, Pession finished 15th; a year later, he finished 22nd. The tragic news of their deaths has led to an outpouring of condolences from fans.