Rescue of injured 74-year-old hiker spins out of control
PHOENIX (AP) — Authorities say a 74-year-old hiker whose head and face were injured in a fall on a Phoenix mountain endured a wild ride in a stretcher as she was being hoisted into a helicopter.
Phoenix Fire Department officials say the woman was treated for dizziness and nausea but suffered no other ill effects when the stretcher spun ever-faster in the backwash of the helicopter’s rotor blades.
ABC15 Arizona’s television chopper recorded the mishap as the rescue crew lifted the injured hiker from Piestewa Peak on Tuesday morning. The crew said a second line meant to prevent the spinning broke. Eventually the rescue copter’s forward motion slowed the spinning enough to bring the woman into the cabin.
Officials said she was treated at a trauma center and listed in stable condition.
The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
