Gatlinburg: Hiker suffers life-threatening illness, saved by Blackhawk helicopter crew

The Tennessee National Guard rescued a hiker in Gatlinburg on Tuesday after he suffered a life-threatening illness. According to a statement, an aircrew in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter responded to the LeConte Lodge on Mount LeConte to evacuate the hiker who required immediate medical care.

Cloudy conditions prevented the helicopter from landing at the lodge, so crews has to transport the man down a trail to a safer pick-up location. The hiker was successfully hoisted from the ground into the aircraft and flown to a hospital in Knoxville.

(Image: TN National Guard)