The skiing community has been devastated by a tragic loss as professional skier Jean Daniel Pession and his girlfriend Elisa Arlian died in a mountain accident. They were just 28 and 27 years old respectively. The couple fell almost 2,300 feet while hiking Mount Zerbion in Aosta Valley, Italy.
Their bodies were discovered buried in the snow by search and rescue teams after they were reported missing. It took hours to locate them as there were no traces on the rock to suggest where they had fallen. A device picking up their cell phone signals helped narrow down their location.
According to reports, the couple was almost at the summit when the mountain betrayed them. They were found tied together, like in a final embrace. Pession had a successful skiing career, placing fifteenth in the 2021 final World Cup and 22nd at the World Championships in 2022.
The Italian Winter Sports Federation and Aosta Valley’s Regional Council President offered their condolences to the families and the entire sporting community. The tragic accident has left many mourning the loss of two passionate young lives taken too soon.