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| Zorb ball ski slope disaster kills Russian man and badly injures friend | Zorb ball ski slope disaster kills Russian man and badly injures friend |
| (7 days later) | |
| A Russian man was killed and his friend seriously injured after their ride down a ski slope in a giant inflatable zorb ball turned to disaster. | A Russian man was killed and his friend seriously injured after their ride down a ski slope in a giant inflatable zorb ball turned to disaster. |
| A harrowing video captures the victim, 27-year-old Denis Burakov, and his friend Vladimir Shcherbakov, 33, setting off in the ball at a resort in the Caucasus mountains. | A harrowing video captures the victim, 27-year-old Denis Burakov, and his friend Vladimir Shcherbakov, 33, setting off in the ball at a resort in the Caucasus mountains. |
| The ride starts promisingly. But the zorb quickly veers off course, with one man unsuccessfully trying to stop it. It then hurtles leftwards down a ravine. Onlookers watch in horror, one asking: "What's down there?" A voice replies: "Nothing. Catastrophe." | The ride starts promisingly. But the zorb quickly veers off course, with one man unsuccessfully trying to stop it. It then hurtles leftwards down a ravine. Onlookers watch in horror, one asking: "What's down there?" A voice replies: "Nothing. Catastrophe." |
| The zorb continued rolling for about half a mile before finally coming to a halt near a frozen lake. The emergencies ministry said both men were ejected from the tumbling zorb, and landed on the snow about 10 metres apart. | The zorb continued rolling for about half a mile before finally coming to a halt near a frozen lake. The emergencies ministry said both men were ejected from the tumbling zorb, and landed on the snow about 10 metres apart. |
| Rescuers could reach the two tourists only by skiing down a sheer, rocky gully. They dragged the men back up the hill. Burakov died on the way to hospital from spinal injuries; Shcherbakov suffered concussion and remains in hospital. | Rescuers could reach the two tourists only by skiing down a sheer, rocky gully. They dragged the men back up the hill. Burakov died on the way to hospital from spinal injuries; Shcherbakov suffered concussion and remains in hospital. |
| The Russian authorities have opened a criminal case into the accident, which took place in Mount Musa Achitara, a resort in Dombai, in the southern republic of Karachay–Cherkessia. Police are seeking the zorb's owner. | The Russian authorities have opened a criminal case into the accident, which took place in Mount Musa Achitara, a resort in Dombai, in the southern republic of Karachay–Cherkessia. Police are seeking the zorb's owner. |
| Burakov, a keen snowboarder, and Shcherbakov, were the first people to try out the ball, which had been set up just an hour earlier next to a beginner's slope, Russian websites reported. Their trip to the resort, on 3 January, was supposed to be a new year's treat. | Burakov, a keen snowboarder, and Shcherbakov, were the first people to try out the ball, which had been set up just an hour earlier next to a beginner's slope, Russian websites reported. Their trip to the resort, on 3 January, was supposed to be a new year's treat. |
| The accident prompted the head of the national emergency rescue services to demand that Russia tighten its enforcement of safety rules for winter sports, citing a series of accidents over the January holidays. | The accident prompted the head of the national emergency rescue services to demand that Russia tighten its enforcement of safety rules for winter sports, citing a series of accidents over the January holidays. |
| Sergei Loginov, deputy director of Z-orb.ru, the largest supplier of zorbs in Russia, said the zorbing run that killed Burakov had been conducted in violation of all safety rules. | Sergei Loginov, deputy director of Z-orb.ru, the largest supplier of zorbs in Russia, said the zorbing run that killed Burakov had been conducted in violation of all safety rules. |
| Zorbing requires a smooth, gentle slope, with fences on both sides of the track and a secure spot at the bottom where the ball can be safely be brought to rest, he said; none of these elements were present at Dombai. | Zorbing requires a smooth, gentle slope, with fences on both sides of the track and a secure spot at the bottom where the ball can be safely be brought to rest, he said; none of these elements were present at Dombai. |
| "It's not even irresponsibility. It's an experiment on life," Loginov said. "It's all or nothing. They either survive or they don't." | "It's not even irresponsibility. It's an experiment on life," Loginov said. "It's all or nothing. They either survive or they don't." |
| The sport of zorbing originated in the 1990s in New Zealand, and is now done around the world. | The sport of zorbing originated in the 1990s in New Zealand, and is now done around the world. |
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