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Mulboyne wrote:
. . . Missing Australian man feared dead in Japanese ski resort . . .
TennoChinko wrote:Because most of us drink alcohol and are rather attached to it, it's both sad and interesting how often the role of alcohol is at first acknowledged but then heavily discounted as a key factor.
Greji wrote:After Nakagawa, anything around alcohol is going to have that in the first or second line:p
Also, whadda ya mean "most of us" are rather attached to alcohol? I'm not attached to it. Addicted? Yes, but definitely not attached.....
A Brisbane man missing at a snow town in Japan helped develop a satellite tracking device for skiers which could have led searchers straight to him. Former colleagues say it is unlikely Scott McKay was wearing one of the Flaik transmitters, which use GPS technology that allows ski instructors to monitor up to 45,000 skiers in real time...Mr McKay, 27, was the one-time vice president of Snow Sports Interactive, the Queensland company which developed the Flaik device. The IT specialist also helped to road-test it at ski resorts overseas. The GPS tags are not available in Japan and it is unlikely he had been wearing one at the time, his former boss told brisbanetimes.com.au yesterday...more...
Takechanpoo wrote:If assuming this Aussie guy looked down on Japanese and pretended arrogantly in night J-town, I never try sympathizing with him.
Sorry.
Takechanpoo wrote:If assuming this Aussie guy looked down on Japanese and pretended arrogantly in night J-town, I never try sympathizing with him.
Sorry.
Taro Toporific wrote:D'oh. I now remember how the press misidentified them as "French" in the early reports. The German sister of one guys certainly took offence to our black humor, but the outpouring of help from Marvin and others to get her more info was VERY gracious of the FG Forum-- Class act folks.amdg wrote:Yikes! I felt so bad about posting that pic after the alleged 'sister' showed up, that all I could say was something lame like 'I think they're in a better place now' or words to that effect.
SMH wrote:
. . . [the Niseko-Hirafu safety liaison officer said:] "We've had a couple of cases of people turning up in the snow near bars, but we usually find them very quickly". . .
JAPANESE authorities have called off the search for an Australian who disappeared from a ski resort eight days ago. Brisbane man Scott McKay, 27, was last seen leaving a resort bar in the small village of Niseko, on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, on February 20. Australia's Sapporo consulate says the search has been suspended and Mr McKay's family has returned to Australia. "The consulate has confirmed with local authorities they have scaled down the search,'' a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said. "The physical search has been suspended, however investigations regarding the Australian are still being followed, including all leads.''
It is understood Mr McKay walked back alone towards his accommodation from Wild Bill's bar in Niseko in the early hours of Friday, February 20. His two mates left the bar about 15 minutes later, but when they arrived at the accommodation he was not there. Heavy snow, below zero temperatures and gale-force winds initially hampered the search for the IT business owner. Mr McKay is the founder of Brisbane-based Wolfbyte which, coincidently, is developing a GPS system for people lost in blizzards.
Mr McKay is the founder of Brisbane-based Wolfbyte which, coincidently, is developing a GPS system for people lost in blizzards.
Locals in the Japanese ski town of Niseko have vowed to prevent a repeat of the February disappearance of Brisbane skier Scott McKay, which may have ended on Wednesday with the discovery of a man's body. Eight weeks after the 27-year-old IT entrepreneur vanished without a trace on a short walk back to his lodge, local authorities and long-time residents are considering an education campaign and posting minders on the doors of local venues in time for next ski season to prevent a similar tragedy. Mr McKay was last seen leaving Niseko's Wild Bill's bar about 1.30am on February 20 and had been walking the short distance back to his hotel when he vanished without a trace. Joggers found the body of a man, believed to be Mr McKay, about 5.45pm on Wednesday, lying face-down in a creek.
Chris Lund, the managing editor of local magazine Powderlife, which broke news of the body's discovery yesterday, said there had been many close calls before Mr McKay's disappearance and following it. "This has been happening for years, ever since the Australians started to come here en mass," Mr Lund told the Brisbane Times. "In the last five to 10 years, we've had people pass out overnight, but they've always been found in time. "But now that this has happened, I think there will be more of an education campaign." Mr Lund said his magazine would be working with local authorities and bar owners to put up awareness posters around the ski town warning of the dangers of wandering off in the snow. "We'll be talking to pub owners about putting someone on the doors, watching out for those coming out and making sure people don't go off alone."
Although Mr McKay was an experienced skier and seasoned snow traveller, most of the near-misses reported in Niseko involved novices and first-time visitors. "The problem is Australians. They don't understand how cold it is and think they can get back back to their accommodation without a jumper. "You never read anything about how dangerous it can get. It's negative five to negative 10 (degrees Celsius) here at night, getting up to negative 15 on top of the mountain. "Maybe its time to finally put people on the door of the bar." The measures are expected to be put in place next ski season.
Number11 wrote:How about not getting so shit-faced drunk in the first place?
Samurai_Jerk wrote:Anyway, not that I'm complaining, but if I look at things objectively, I think one of the problems in Japan is that they don't seem to have the concpet of cutting someone off when they've had enough.
That sure sounds like something Charles would say, minus the jumper bit."The problem is Australians. They don't understand how cold it is and think they can get back back to their accommodation without a jumper."
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