Dad Saves Son From Being Buried Alive in Ski Accident

A father who saved his son from a "near-death experience" after he fell into a snowy tree well captured the terrifying ordeal on camera.

Winston Goss was skiing with his son, Ethan, earlier this month when the boy traveled ahead and then crashed into the base of a tree.

Helmet-cam footage taken on a mountainside in Idaho's Brundage Mountain Resort shows the terrifying moment Mr Goss discovers his son's desperate cries for help.

Realizing Ethan is struggling to breathe after being buried under snow, Mr Goss quickly assumes the role of rescuer and calmly saves his son. "I've had a near-death experience", Ethan says shortly after he is pulled out from the well.

Mr. Goss posted the video to Facebook on Tuesday in a bid to warn others about the dangers of skiing.

"Please, take the time to know the dangers around you," Mr Goss wrote.

"What you're about to see is a very real threat and there are many who die each year."
The most important lesson, he adds, is to "never ski alone."

According to experts tree wells — voids around the bases of trees that form after heavy snowfall cause more than a quarter of all suffocations by snow. 90 per cent of people who get stuck in tree wells are unable to rescue themselves.