Military helicopter rescues injured hiker from Cape Breton Highlands
Choppy waters prevent local responders from reaching hikers at Polletts Cove
A hiking trip in the Cape Breton Highlands turned into a rescue mission when a hiker got hurt on a trail in Polletts Cove early Sunday evening.
The call for help came in just before 6:30 p.m. from a pair of hikers, one of whom was injured. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) had to send a Cormorant helicopter to pick them up from the trail located just outside the Cape Breton Highlands National Park in northwestern Inverness County.
"Unfortunately, due to rough waters in the area, the fire and EHS services weren't able to reach the injured hiker, and at that time the decision was made to task a Cormorant helicopter from Canadian Forces Base Greenwood," JRCC public affairs officer Maj. Trevor Ackland said Monday afternoon.
"The Cormorant arrived on the scene, found the hikers, and then hoisted them up into the helicopter, which then took them to the airport [in Sydney], where they were met by EHS, and were then transported to the hospital."
Maj. Ackland could not confirm the nature of the injury suffered by the hiker or their current condition. He advised a cautious approach for hikes in the Polletts Cove-Aspy Fault area, which are described as "demanding" even by veteran members of the hiking community.
"We just suggest that everybody remembers safety first when enjoying the great outdoors in Nova Scotia and around the Maritimes," he said.
