Photos: Tennessee National Guard use Black Hawk helicopter to rescue injured hiker in snowy mountain

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LOUISVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee National Guard jumped into action to help a hiker in distress in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Tuesday.

Around 8:30 a.m., the Tennessee National Guard and Emergency Management Agency were notified of an injured hiker in need of assistance getting to the nearest hospital, according to officials.

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Luckily, National Park Service rangers were in contact with the hiker after they used an emergency SOS to initiate the rescue.

Tennessee National Guard locates an injured hiker in distress.

(Tennessee National Guard / Facebook)

First responders used a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to reach the snow-covered rescue site, which was provided by National Park Service rangers.

National Guard flight crews quickly located the hiker at the Double Springs Gap shelter near the North Carolina border, where rescuers used a hoist to safely lift the hiker into the helicopter, according to the Tennessee National Guard.

The hiker was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville for further evaluation.

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Thanks to the rescuers' quick response, the victim avoided any cold-related health issues, with the mission lasting about two hours.