Tennessee – A Tennessee Army National Guard flight crew rescued an injured hiker in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after being alerted to the emergency on Sunday evening.
Shortly after 5:30 p.m., the Tennessee National Guard and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency were notified of a hiker needing urgent medical assistance along a remote trail near Ramsey Cascades, east of Gatlinburg.
Park Service Rangers were already on scene providing aid but required rapid transport to a hospital.
A flight crew assigned to Task Force Smokey quickly assembled at Joint Base McGhee-Tyson and prepared a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter for the mission. The aircraft departed at approximately 7:20 p.m., flying directly to the designated rescue site identified by rangers.
Minutes after arriving, the crew chief lowered two flight paramedics to assess the hiker’s condition and prepare for transport. The hiker was secured and hoisted into the hovering helicopter, followed by the second paramedic.
The aircraft then flew to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, arriving at approximately 8:30 p.m. for the patient to receive further treatment.
After completing the rescue mission, the crew returned to their base in Louisville, landing just before 9:00 p.m.