Heart-stopping moment hiker, 69, clinging onto the edge of a cliff is grabbed by rescuer as she loses her grip and begins to fall
- Rescue took place in Rubio Canyon near Pasadena, California, Saturday
- Female hiker was found clinging to tree roots after falling from trail with her elderly companion
- Paramedic was lower from a rescue helicopter just below the hiker and managed to catch her as she lost grasp of roots and fell
- Woman was airlifted to safety and reunited with the man; they refused medical attention and hiked their way to trailhead on their own
A dramatic video has been released showing an elderly California hiker being rescued by a paramedic hoisted from a rescue helicopter just as she loses her grip and falls into a canyon.
The heart-stopping incident took place at around 4.30pm on Saturday in Rubio Canyon, a popular hiking destination located north of Pasadena, California.
An elderly couple were hiking in the area when they somehow fell off the trail.
LA County Fire is responding to a couple needing help in Rubio Canyon, located in Altadena. bit.ly/2RqZTPV
A 69-year-old hiker found herself stranded and desperately clinging to some roots after falling off a trail in Rubio Canyon on Saturday
A paramedic was lower to the woman from a helicopter and grabbed her the moment she lost her grasp of the roots
The rescuer is seen in this screenshot holding the woman in his arms after stopping her from falling into the void
Firefighters and paramedics who responded to the scene found the 69-year-old woman desperately clinging to some roots protruding from the face of a cliff.
One of the first responders was lowered from Air Rescue 5 helicopter just below the stranded female hiker.
He was able to grab hold of the woman the moment she lost her grasp of the roots and fell into the void.
Video from Fox 11 Lost Angeles shows the rescuer holding the woman dressed in a red T-shirt in his arms as they are lifted from the canyon and flown to safety.
Both hikers suffered only minor scrapes and refused medical treatment.
An extended cut of the footage shows the paramedic leading the hikers on foot through the brush to a concrete circle resembling a small helipad.
The woman hugs her rescuer and takes a few pictures with him, before his colleagues on board the helicopter hovering above lower a cable and hoist him out of the canyon.
The Altadena Sheriff’s Station said in a statement the man and woman were later able to hike to the trailhead on their own without incident.
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