AUSTIN – Last week, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Aircraft Operations Division (AOD) rescued a family of stranded hikers in Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Culberson County.

On Aug. 20, around 4:15 p.m., Guadalupe Mountains National Park Rangers alerted DPS’ AOD of a distressed family of hikers on the side of Guadalupe Peak. The family of three—which included a 23-year-old male, a 23-year-old female, and a three-month-old infant—had started their hike mid-morning. Around 3:00 p.m., after nine miles, the family ran out of water and began experiencing signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion due to the high temperatures at the park throughout the day.

DPS’ AOD immediately dispatched a Pilatus PC-12 airplane to locate the family from the air. The crew quickly located them on the mountain, and DPS’ AOD then dispatched an Airbus H-125 helicopter to assist in the rescue. A Tactical Flight Officer (TFO) was deployed from the helicopter to perform a medical assessment on each family member and determined that a hoist rescue operation was necessary for their safety. All three were hoisted into the helicopter and transported down the mountain to waiting ground rescue teams for further medical care.

Photos and video of the rescue operation are available here.

DPS’ AOD performs statewide air patrol, criminal surveillance, and advanced rescue operations across Texas. AOD is one of the largest airborne law enforcement units in the country, consisting of 12 duty stations, 26 aircraft with state-of-the-art technology, over 350 UAS systems (drones), and more than 100 personnel. More information about DPS’ AOD can be found here.