Lost Hiker Located By Helicopter In Florida’s Little Manatee River State Park

A lost hiker was rescued in Florida on Sunday after a helicopter crew lowered a rescuer to guide the hiker to safety.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the hiker called 911 at around 1 p.m. Sunday to report being lost in Little Manatee River State Park, about 15 miles south of Tampa.

A video shared by the sheriff’s office shows a helicopter crew from HCSO’s Aviation Section locating the lost hiker amid dense vegetation within the park. After directing the hiker to remain at that location, the helicopter flies to a nearby field to pick up a rescue specialist.

The rescue specialist was lowered down to the hiker by hoist. The helicopter crew then directed the rescuer to the “quickest path out.” The rescuer escorted the hiker to safety, where Hillsborough County Fire Rescue was standing by.

The hiker was dehydrated and had “minor abrasions,” but was otherwise uninjured, the sheriff’s office said.

“The rescue today is what we train for. Our sections worked seamlessly together to locate and get this hiker to safety quickly in what otherwise could have been a very dire situation,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “We’re grateful for a successful outcome.”