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A hiker was rescued via helicopter on Monday after they injured their leg on the Appalachian Trail near East Madrid, according to Franklin Search & Rescue, a volunteer search and rescue organization based in Kingfield.

The organization assisted the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and public safety crews from Phillips, Kingfield and Rangeley in the rescue.

A Maine Forest Ranger helicopter crew conducts a rescue of an injured hiker on Monday. (Photo courtesy of Franklin Search & Rescue)

Rescue teams took to the trail Monday evening, but as darkness approached, rescuers called in a Maine Forest Service helicopter crew to get the hiker.

“The Forest Ranger helicopter team was able to safely airlift the hiker to an awaiting ambulance crew for transport to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment,” the statement from Franklin Search & Rescue says. “The remaining rescuers then hiked out and got back to the trailhead right before dark.”

Franklin Search & Rescue is one of 14 all-volunteer wilderness search and rescue teams in Maine, they stated.

Drew is the night reporter for the Portland Press Herald. He previously covered South Portland, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth for the Sentry, Leader and Southern Forecaster. Though he is from Massachusetts,...