Hiker Rescued from Remote Smokies After Sending SOS

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A hiker in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was rescued on Tuesday after sending an emergency SOS using a satellite communicator. A Tennessee National Guard helicopter crew flew to the remote area, provided medical aid, and transported the injured hiker to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.

Why it matters

Hiking in the Smokies can be dangerous, especially in remote areas, and this rescue highlights the importance of having emergency communication devices and the capability to respond quickly to distress calls in the park's rugged terrain.

The details

The hiker was suffering from severe cold-weather injuries when the Tennessee National Guard helicopter crew arrived at the Double Springs Gap Shelter near the North Carolina border around 10 a.m. The flight paramedic provided aid on-site before flying the patient to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where the helicopter landed around 10:25 a.m. and the hiker was rushed to the emergency room.

• The Tennessee National Guard helicopter crew departed Joint Base McGhee-Tyson around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
• The helicopter arrived at the Double Springs Gap Shelter just before 10 a.m.
• The helicopter landed at the University of Tennessee Medical Center around 10:25 a.m.