Georgia emergency crews rescue sick hiker trapped on remote part of Appalachian Trial

Emergency responders in Fannin County had to airlift a man who became sick while hiking on Georgia's stretch of the Appalachian Trail.

The helicopter rescue happened shortly after 10:30 a.m. on Saturday near Hawk Mountain.

According to the Fannin County Emergency Management Agency, the rescue attempt began after the county's 911 center received a call reporting that a 46-year-old hiker had become ill on the trail.

Crews hiked to the remote part of the trail and found the man unable to walk. Due to the rugged terrain, the responders placed the man in a rescue stretcher and carried him to a different area to be extracted.

The man was lifted from the trail by a Georgia Department of Natural Resources team, who took him to an area near the top of Hawk Mountain so that he could be transferred to Life Force. The man is now recovering at a local hospital.

"This operation involved multiple agencies working together in challenging terrain over an extended operational period, with the call completing just after 7 p.m.," Fannin EMA wrote on Facebook.

The agency reminded hiker to make sure they stay hydrated, know their limits, and share their hiking plans with someone.

Fannin County officials wish the hiker a full recovery.