KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee National Guard rescued hikers who were stranded on the Appalachian Trail on New Year's Eve, according to the Tennessee Department of Military.
Around 5:15 a.m. on New Year's Eve, the Tennessee Military Department and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency were notified of two hikers needing help in the Sampson Mountain Wilderness area.
The hikers were stranded in the dark and surrounded by cliffs and drop-offs in the area, the department said.
TEMA approved the rescue and Tennesse National Guardsmen prepared a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. The crew left after 8 a.m. and found the hikers at 8:45 a.m., according to the department.
The paramedics provided aid during the short flight to Johnson City Medical Center, where the patients were transferred to medical personnel at the hospital, the department said.
The hikers recovered from minor injuries before being released.