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Rescuers have evacuated a group of tourists by helicopter in the Far Eastern region of Yakutia after an avalanche struck, leaving two people dead and one injured on Tuesday, emergency officials reported.

The group, seven residents of the city of Kazan and one from Yekaterinburg, were caught in the avalanche during a skiing expedition from the settlement of Khandyga to the village of Nizhnezhdanskoye, a press statement from Yakutia’s Department for Emergency Situations reported.

Three tourists were buried under the snow, while the rest of the group began an immediate search and rescue operation finding two dead, including the group leader, and one person with severe injuries.

The Mi-8 helicopter, with rescuers and a physician on board, flew the tourists to the settlement of Tyoplye Klyuchi to refuel and then further transport them to the city of Yakutsk.

The condition of the other five tourists is reported as satisfactory, the statement said.