WESTFORD, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- A 13-year-old boy died following a ski accident at Nashoba Valley Ski Area Saturday afternoon, according to authorities.
The Middlesex District Attorney's Office says Rajiv Paluri of Westford was skiing Saturday afternoon with friends at Nashoba Valley Ski Area when he went off the trail and hit a tree. The boy was wearing a helmet at the time.
The teenager was transported to Lowell General Hospital around 2:20 p.m., according to the Westford Fire Department. A spokesman for Nashoba Valley Ski Area said the teenager was unconscious when ski patrol arrived at the scene.
"All of us are deeply shaken by this incident," said Al Fletcher, general manager at Nashoba Valley in a statement. "Our hearts are with his family. We can only imagine what they're going through."
According to the resort, the accident occurred between the Tomahawk and Lobo trails. Tomahawk is blue square trail, or "more difficult," and Lobo is a black diamond trail, or "most difficult."
The incident was being investigated by the Westford Police Department.
Fletcher says that this is the first ski-related death since the resort opened more than 50 years ago.
Paluri's school principal sent out an email Saturday night informing students and teachers of the death.
"It is with a very sad heart that I contact you this evening," wrote Robin Whitney, principal of Lloyd G. Blanchard Middle School. "One of our students, Rajiv Paluri, was tragically killed in a skiing accident this afternoon. Rajiv was a member of the 8 White Team."
The school said it would make grief counselors available at the school both Sunday and on Tuesday. School is not in session on Monday. Whitney also offered to help her students, "in any way that we can." She asked everyone to join her in keeping the boy's family in their thoughts and hearts.
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
