GATLINBURG, Tenn. – A Tennessee Army National Guard medical flight crew responded to an emergency air evacuation mission when a hiker began suffering a life-threatening illness while hiking in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park area, July 19.

At approximately noon yesterday, the Tennessee Military Department and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency were notified of a hiker needing evacuation from the LeConte Lodge on Mount LeConte, near Gatlinburg, and requiring immediate medical care.

Rescuers on the ground had to  transport the hiker down the Alum Cave trail to get below the cloud layer so the aircraft could pick up the hiker. Air rescue was lowered by hoist to the hiker, performed a medical assessment, and then prepared them both to be hoisted into the helicopter.

Once onboard, the flight crew continued medical aid while enroute to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. The hiker was safely delivered to the hospital after a 12-minute flight.