Australian tourist stranded on Arizona mountain airlifted in dramatic rescue

An Australian hiker who became stranded in frigid conditions on an Arizona mountain last week was airlifted by border agents in a dramatic caught-on-camera rescue.

Video shows the helicopter crew locating the man, who was wearing a bright blue jacket atop the snow-covered Huachuca Mountains in the Coronado National Forest Friday, US Customs and Border Protection said.

Two rescuers dropped from the Black Hawk to aid the hiker, who had been trapped on the mountain in freezing and treacherous temperatures overnight.

One agent strapped the tourist onto the rope and both were slowly lifted back into the hovering helicopter as snow tumbled off trees.

Once the hiker was inside, the crew hoisted the second rescuer into the aircraft, along with the hiker’s gear.

The man was flown down to awaiting deputies and emergency personnel for evaluation. He is expected to recover.

He had survived on the mountain overnight, where temperatures dropped to freezing and winds whipped as high as 33 mph Thursday.

Police had been searching for the hiker since Thursday, but the weather conditions prevented the CBP aircrew from launching their rescue until early Friday morning.

“Our crews are the best at what they do. They are highly skilled and go above and beyond to ensure the best outcomes for everyone they encounter,” said Norman Montgomery, Director Tucson Air Branch. “This could have been a tragic fatal outcome if not for the diligence of the agents.”

The Australian hiker was the 60th person that the CBP aircrew rescued this fiscal year, the agency said.