Stranded, Injured West Texas Hiker Airlifted to Safety by Emergency Crew

A hiker in El Paso was recently stranded while on a trail in the mountains. Injured, they had no choice but to call the emergency number and be airlifted to safety. Here's the harrowing story.

Blackhawk to the Rescue

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations El Paso Air Branch was training for rescues when they received a call from El Paso Combined Search and Rescue.

They were asked to help rescue an injured hiker who was too far into the wilderness and mountainous terrain to be accessed by ground units.

CBP El Paso Air Branch director Efren Gonzalez had this to say following the dangerous rescue:

These rescue capabilities and the skill sets we have developed through training together continue to save lives in this rugged mountain and desert region of ours.

Acting with urgency, the Air Branch launched the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and took off to locate the hiker.

A military helicopter flying through the air

At 1:18 p.m. on Wednesday, the Air and Marine Operations rescue team spotted the hiker in need of rescue. They lowered a basket from the helicopter, loaded the injured hiker, and lifted off together to safety.

The rescue team eventually found a safe spot to land in McKelligon Canyon and move the hiker from the suspended basket into the helicopter itself. From here, they were able to fly to a local hospital for treatment.

Keep up with the latest news and rescues in Texas with the CBP newsroom webpage.