Skier rescued after falling through ice on California lake

PINE VALLEY, Calif. – A helicopter crew rescued a skier who fell through ice on a lake in the Cuyamaca Mountains east of San Diego.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department says the incident happened at midday Sunday at Big Laguna Lake.

A sheriff’s helicopter arrived on scene in minutes and spotted the skier struggling to keep his head above water in the middle of the lake.

The helicopter landed to rig a flotation rescue device and then flew over to the man and lowered it to him.

The man was able to grab the device, and the hovering helicopter was able to drag him about 75 yards (69 metres) to shore.

Hikers stripped wet clothing off the man and put dry clothing on him before he was flown to a hospital.