3 rescued by helicopter after becoming stranded in Northern California's Sierra Buttes

A helicopter was used to rescue three hikers who became stranded on a mountain in the Sierra Nevada range in Northern California over the weekend.

According to the Sierra County Sheriff's Office, deputies were contacted by the Governor's Office of Emergency Services around 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Three people on the Sierra Buttes became stranded and made a distress call using their satellite communication device.

The sheriff's office launched a search and rescue operation, requesting mutual aid from the Nevada County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Mountain Rescue Team and the helicopter from the sheriff's office in Washoe County, Nevada. According to the Nevada County Sheriff's Office, about 20 members from the Nevada City and Truckee areas responded.

Deputies said the helicopter crew found the three hikers in what was described as a "steep, exposed section" of the mountain south of the lookout tower. A member of the helicopter crew was lowered to the hikers.

All three people were hoisted from the cliffside and taken by helicopter to a designated landing zone where deputies were waiting.

"The Sierra County Sheriff's Office extends its sincere appreciation to the Nevada County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team, the Washoe County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team, and the Washoe County Sheriff's Office RAVEN helicopter crew for their professionalism, coordination, and assistance in bringing this rescue to a successful conclusion quickly," the sheriff's office said in a statement.

At 8,591 feet elevation at its highest point, the Sierra Buttes are located about 80 miles northeast of Sacramento in the Tahoe National Forest.