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Skier injured in Alaska avalanche rescued

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, March 18 (UPI) -- A skier from New York who emerged from an avalanche with a broken ankle was rescued from an Alaska mountainside Saturday, authorities said.

Alaska State Police said Ian Lacroix, 20, was hit by the cascading snow about 8 p.m. Friday while on Tin Can Mountain south of Anchorage with his brother, Nathan Lacroix, 28, of Anchorage, and Connor Maloney, 2, of Girdwood, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

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"Apparently when the avalanche hit, he got partially swallowed by it and then spit back out as it was spreading out lower down," troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said.

Nathan Lacroix stayed with his injured brother while Maloney skied to a vehicle where he called for help.

"During this time the two brothers attempted to ski out to the road after placing a splint on the broken leg. However, with dropping temperatures they did not get very far," the Alaska Air National Guard said in a release.

The Guard sent a helicopter to retrieve the men early Saturday and flew them to a hospital.

The incident follows a deadly avalanche Tuesday in which a heli-skiing guide and customer were killed near Haines on Takhin Ridge, the Daily News said.

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