Med Flight-1 Rescues Injured Hiker in Remote Area of Amherst County
- BTW21
- Nov 11, 2025
- 2 min read
Richmond, VA — November 10, 2025 — A coordinated air and ground rescue effort unfolded yesterday morning after an injured hiker was reported stranded in a remote section of the Appalachian Trail near Pedlar in Amherst County.
At approximately 11:09 a.m. on November 9, Med Flight-1 — a joint emergency response unit staffed by Virginia State Police pilots and Chesterfield County Fire and EMS paramedics — was alerted to the emergency.
The hiker was unable to self-extricate from the rugged terrain.
The helicopter lifted off from its base at Chesterfield County Airport at 11:32 a.m. and arrived in Amherst County roughly 54 minutes later.
After surveying the challenging scene from above, the crew determined that a hoist rescue would be the safest and most effective option.
To facilitate the operation, crews from the Virginia Department of Forestry cleared a 40-by-60-foot opening in the dense forest canopy.
Amherst EMS personnel provided critical ground support, guiding the operation and assisting in moving the injured individual to the designated extraction point.
Rescue Technician Anja Hamilton from Chesterfield County Fire and EMS was then lowered from the helicopter amid gusty winds and scattered showers.
Once on the ground, Hamilton stabilized and secured the patient for airlift. The hiker was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital, arriving safely at 2:20 p.m.
Following the patient’s transfer, the Med Flight-1 crew returned to retrieve Hamilton, who had hiked out of the area with local rescue teams after the mission was complete.
This marks Med Flight-1’s fifth hoist rescue of 2025, highlighting the team’s continued dedication to providing critical emergency services in Virginia’s most difficult-to-reach locations.
Med Flight-1 operates as a partnership between the Virginia State Police and Chesterfield County Fire and EMS, providing rapid-response air medical transport and rescue capabilities across the Commonwealth.
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