Driver plummets 200 feet off Blue Ridge Parkway, firefighters come to the rescue
A driver plummeted 200 feet off the Blue Ridge Parkway Saturday, requiring a rescue by firefighters near a popular overlook, rescuers said.
The driver crashed near the Lump overlook in Wilkes County, nearly 110 miles northwest of Charlotte.
The car tumbled down an embankment into thick foliage, pictures posted on social media by Millers Creek Fire Department showed.
Firefighters and Wilkes EMS were dispatched to the crash, and Fleetwood Fire and Rescue from Ashe County assisted.
The driver was alone in the car and talked with someone from OnStar, the subscription-based, in-vehicle safety system.
“OnStar was able to activate the hazard lights and the vehicle horn, which helped us locate the vehicle approximately 200’ down an embankment just before the overlook,” fire officials said on social media.
Crews took a rigid stretcher to the scene that’s normally lifted into a medical helicopter. A helicopter was dispatched but was recalled after rescuers determined the driver was stable enough to be driven to a hospital. The person’s condition wasn’t released Saturday.
“A big thank you to Fleetwood Fire and Rescue who responded with personnel and equipment,” Millers Creek fire officials said.