KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee National Guard said it rescued a sick hiker near Clingmans Dome on Tuesday.
Around 1:15 p.m., the National Guard and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency were notified of a sick hiker needing medical assistance and evacuation to a nearby hospital, according to the National Guard.
The hiker was in a remote area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, roughly 1.5 miles west of Clingmans Dome, the National Guard said.
Two pilots, a crew chief and two flight paramedics left McGhee Tyson Airport in a Blackhawk helicopter around 2:40 p.m. The crew quickly found the hiker and GSMNP rangers who were rendering first aid.
The hiker was hoisted into the Blackhawk helicopter and flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, the National Guard said.
The entire rescue mission took less than an hour, according to the National Guard.