A heartbreaking loss has shaken the winter sports community. Italian World Cup skier Jean Daniel Pession and his girlfriend, Elisa Arlian, were found dead on Mount Zerbion in Italy after a mountain accident that ended their lives while they were still tied together, described as a “final embrace.”

Search Efforts After Couple Went Missing

Pession, a respected member of Italy’s World Cup speed skiing team, and Arlian, a cross-country ski instructor and elementary school teacher, set out to climb Mount Zerbion in the Aosta Valley. When they failed to return home, both families alerted authorities.

Three helicopters and multiple rescue teams—including mountain specialists, firefighters, and police—searched the rugged terrain for hours. Their bodies were eventually located under the snow after rescuers detected a signal from one of their cell phones.

A Fall Near the Summit

The Italian Winter Sports Federation confirmed the couple fell nearly 2,300 feet. The exact cause remains unknown. Local media reported that no tracks were visible on the rock walls, suggesting they may have slipped on snow or that part of the ridge gave way beneath them.

Rescuers noted the pair was close to the summit when the accident occurred. Reports from RAI stated, “They were just a step away from the top when the mountain betrayed them.”

Tributes From the Sports Community

Pession earned strong World Cup results in recent seasons, finishing 15th overall in 2021 and competing at the 2022 World Championships. Arlian was admired in her community as both an instructor and a teacher.

Italy’s Winter Sports Federation released a statement expressing deep condolences to both families. Local leaders in Aosta Valley echoed the grief, honoring the couple’s passion for the mountains and mourning the loss of two young lives.