The Minnesota Aviation Rescue Team was called into action on the North Shore on Monday of this week after a 61 year old Stillwater woman was injured while hiking south of Split Rock Lighthouse. 

Accoring to MPR News, the Lake County Rescue Squad was initially called to assist the injured woman, but after the crew assessed the situation, they felt it would be easier to provide assistance and ultimately evacuate the injured hiker by air. The injuries the hiker suffered left her unable to walk, which is the reason she was stranded on the trail. This is when the Minnesota Aviation Rescue Team was called in to provide assistance.

The team, which is a joint venture between the St. Paul Fire Department and the Minnesota State Patrol, departed St. Paul and arrived about 15 minutes after the call for help was placed. Crew member and St. Paul Fire Captain Alan Gabriele explained to  MPR News the unique challenges a rescue along the rugged North Shore was, saying "The topography in the terrain was very challenging in that area to try and get someone, actually get them out, and you'd risk further injuring the patient and potentially the rescuers."

Following the airlift rescue, the helicopter brought the injured hiker to a landing location on Highway 61 where an ambulance waited to bring her to St. Mary's Hospital in Duluth to treat what were called non-life threatening injuries.

The video below shows the heroic rescue from the first-person perspective of one of the rescue crew members.

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