Retired Georgia news anchor falls into ravine, rescued by helicopter in elaborate rescue: report

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A beloved television news anchor from Georgia fell into a ravine while hiking – prompting emergency responders to pull-off a daring rescue.

Carol Sbarge, who worked for WSB-TV for nearly three decades, went on a hike in September with her boyfriend in Chattahoochee National Forest.

Her peaceful hike turned disastrous when she plummeted down a steep ravine.

“So somehow, as I was kind of walking on the trail, my foot hit a rock. And before I knew it, I just went tumbling down this ravine,” she told WSB-TV.

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Carol Sbarge fell into a ravine while on a hike with her boyfriend. (Carol Sbarge via Instagram)

She broke her ankle in three spots during the tumble, she told the outlet.

Her boyfriend first – unsuccessfully – attempted to call emergency services for assistance, but their remote location prevented the call from going through.

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Eventually, another hiker came to their rescue and hiked outside the remote trail to connect with the Habersham County Emergency Services.

FILE – A lone hiker trudges through Unicoi Gap on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. (Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)

Crews arrived on the scene after hiking two miles on the trail and quickly assessed the steep drop-off where Sbarge had fallen. The local outlet reported that they used ropes and a helicopter to slowly lift her from the ravine.

Officials said it was the first time ever that they carried out an airborne evacuation of a hiker in Panther Creek Falls.

Sbarge was airlifted and flown for 3.6 miles before she was admitted to a local hospital. She told the local outlet that she needed eight screws and a metal plate in her ankle.

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“They’re just special people. They’re putting themselves at risk. You know, every day they don’t know what kind of danger they’re going to face,” Sbarge told the outlet, speaking of the rescue workers.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Chattahoochee National Forest and the Habersham County Emergency Services for comment.

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. 

Story tips and ideas can be sent to sarah.rumpf@fox.com and on X: @s_rumpfwhitten.