Girl, 9, survives skiing accident that sees her crash through chalet window

Stock photo, Tyrol, Austria: Rex

A girl of nine has 'miraculously' survived a freak skiing accident that saw her lose control on the piste, crash through a 30mph safety net and go straight through a chalet window.

India Furness, who has been skiing since the age of two, was on holiday with her parents and her two sisters in the resort of Goldried in Matrei, East Tyrol, when she tried to turn on a black run, lost control and crashed into the chalet on Austria's highest mountain, the Grossglockner.

A rescue helicopter took her to the Innsbruck University Hospital within 10 minutes, where she is recovering in intensive care.

Dr Kratzer told skiclub.co.uk: "Her condition is improving. There are no signs of brain injury. She was very lucky. She had good equipment. Her ski helmet saved her life."

And her father has also spoken of her survival, saying she was lucky she went through the window and not into the side of the hut. He told the Daily Mail: 'She is very lucky and, miraculously, she suffered no other injuries apart from the fractures to her skull.

'She is now mainly being kept sedated because when she does start coming round she gets a little bit upset. All the staff here feel that, given time, India should make a full recovery."

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