Tennessee National Guard

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – During the afternoon of August 15, a medical flight crew from the Tennessee Army National Guard performed an emergency air evacuation mission for a hiker suffering a severe illness in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Shortly after 1:50 p.m., eastern time, the Tennessee National Guard and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency were notified of a sick hiker needing medical assistance and evacuation to a nearby hospital. The hiker was in a remote area of the park, roughly 1.5 miles west of Clingmans Dome.

50 minutes after being notified, TEMA approved the mission and...