Five Year Old Boy Dies in Travelator Accident in Japan

30th December 2025

Hinata Goto was about to step off the travelator at a resort on Hokkadio island when he fell down and his right arm became trapped in the machinery.

The travelator was equipped with a safety mechanism, to deal with such a situation, but it failed to activate.

The machine stopped when the boy’s mother hit the emergency button.

Rescue workers spent 40 minutes trying to free the boy, who fell unconscious.

He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort in Otaru said that the travelator’s safety mechanism had worked earlier in the day.

The travelator was installed six years ago.

It is about 30m long and 60cm wide, with no hand rails.

It connects the resort’s car park to the ski slopes.

An investigations is under way.