18-Year-Old Severely Injured in Skiing Accident at Nashoba Valley

An 18-year-old skier has been flown to a Boston hospital after suffering severe injuries in an accident at Nashoba Valley Ski Area in Westford, Massachusetts, fire officials said.

According to the Westford Fire Department, the victim was taken by medical helicopter to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center following the incident around 1:15 p.m. Sunday.

The young man was skiing with family when he collided with a building off-trail near the bottom of the Nashoba Slope, which is rated with a blue square meaning "more difficult," the ski area said in a statement.

Al Fletcher, with Nashoba Valley, told NBC10 Boston the teen lost control at some point, was ejected from his skis and then he slid under the building.

According to Nashoba Valley's statement, bystanders rendered aid immediately, and Ski Patrol was on scene a few minutes later, followed by EMS shortly after that.

Westford fire, Ski Patrol and Boston MedFlight did respond to the ski area, located at 79 Powers Road, where the victim was trapped under a building, fire officials said. The teen was extricated and is severely injured, according to the Westford Fire Department.

UPDATE: It was an 18 year old male that was seriously hurt in this ski accident- off trail -at the bottom of a blue marked slope. Nashoba Valley says he was wearing a helmet at the time. He became trapped under this shed like structure. @NBC10Boston @NECN pic.twitter.com/pmWCHkVpUn

— Kathryn Sotnik NBC10 Boston (@KatNBCBoston) March 7, 2021

Skiers who witnessed the collision tell NBC10 Boston the teen came down the hill really fast and didn't stop before crashing into the shed-like structure.

“He came down really fast, I just saw him when he fell,” said Angelo Cruz, who was at the bottom of the slope with his daughter.

Cruz tells NBC10 Boston he tried to help the teen but couldn't because he was lodged under the shed.

“His head was inside the deck and he wasn’t moving,” Cruz said.

Fletcher says the teen suffered face lacerations and some type of head injury. Nashoba Valley said in their statement that he was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

It's not clear why the skier didn't stop, or how he lost control.

“[He] just came down the hill and without stopping or anything just went right in,” eyewitness Amy Carta said.

Carta says Nashoba Slope is pretty steep and it can get tricky for skiers.

“Definitely I would consider it more of an intermediate it’s pretty steep here for a blue in my opinion, my guys are beginners and it can get a little tricky in the middle portion until you get down here.”

The ski area called it a "serious" incident and said they wanted the public to hear it from them, though they urged people to refrain from speculating about the victim's condition.

"Out of concern for the young man and his family, we ask that you refrain from speculating, and that you keep him, his family, and the Nashoba Staff and first responders who attended to him in your prayers," the ski area's statement continued.

There was no update on the teen's condition as of 7:15 p.m. Sunday.

The incident is being investigated by local and state police, as well as Nashoba Valley Ski Area personnel.