Airmen rescue injured hiker from Valles Caldera
The crew flew from Kirtland Air Force base to Valles Caldera and reportedly had just four minutes of fuel left when they returned.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A U.S. Air Force rescue team from Kirtland Air Force Base rescued an injured hiker from Valles Caldera in northern New Mexico last month.
According to the Air Force, a hiker in the Valles Caldera fell 30 feet off a ledge Oct. 26. Local emergency responders couldn’t reach him so the 58th Special Operations Wing responded with a UH-1N Huey helicopter.
The crew hovered 40 feet from the side of the mountain to reach the hiker. The crew took the hiker to UNM Hospital then returned to base.