WRONG TURN

Stranded Hikers Rescued by Blackhawk Helicopter on Appalachian Trail

The Tennessee National Guard was called to carry out an emergency air evacuation.

Two hikers stranded on the Appalachian Trail had to be rescued in an emergency air evacuation after getting stranded on New Year’s Eve, authorities said. The pair needed help after becoming “stranded in the darkness of night due to the sheet cliffs and drop offs” in the Sampson Mountain Wilderness Area south of Johnson City in Tennessee, according to a news release. After receiving the call for help, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office determined it could not reach the hikers, so a medical flight crew from the Tennessee National Guard was dispatched in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter to conduct the rescue. Both hikers were hoisted into the chopper and airlifted to Johnson City Medical Center, where they recovered from minor injuries before being released.