Father of Oxford student found dead on Varsity ski trip: 'He died doing what he loved'

The family of an Oxford University student who died during a skiing trip in the French Alps today said he was “doing what he loved.”

Matt Smith, 22, was said to have been found unconscious in his chalet room in the upmarket resort of Val Thorens on the annual Oxbridge Varsity ski trip.

His friends called emergency services when they were unable to revive him yesterday morning.

Police and fire fighters attended but were unable to save the undergraduate. He was pronounced dead at the scene from a suspected cardiac arrest.

Mr Smith was in his third year reading history at St John’s College and had recently completed a three-month internship as a junior press officer at Sotheby’s auction house in London.

His father, Howard Smith, a City financial consultant, said he was still trying to come to terms his son’s sudden death and would be flying out to France.

He told the Standard: “The most important thing for us is that Matt was with his friends. His friends meant so much to him. He was with everybody skiing, close to the snow, doing what he loved.”

Mr Smith was a qualified snowboard instructor and also attended the ski trip last year.

According to local police the students arrived by coach on Saturday and had gone straight out drinking. More than 3,000 students from Oxford and Cambridge are in the ski resort this week for the annual Varsity trip, which costs £339.

The Varsity ski trip has been heavily criticised in recent years for drunken antics both on the slopes and in the resort.

Mr Smith’s friends described him as a “smashing lad” who was full of “fun and adventure”.

Eóin Barrett-Fulton wrote on Facebook: “Still don’t believe it, he was taken far too soon. We all thought he was invincible. I’ll always love you Matt and I hope you’re resting better now. You’ll forever be one of my oldest and greatest friends.”

Mr Smith was a former pupil of Bedford Modern School in Bedfordshire. A post-mortem is due to take place.

A spokesman for St John’s College said: “We would like to express our deep sadness at the tragic death and send our condolences to his family and friends.”