Injured Climber Winched From Mountainside After Serious Fall

This is the moment rescuers winch an injured climber off a mountainside after a serious fall in remote terrain.

Footage from 30th August shows the rescue in Burke County, in the US state of North Carolina.

The video shows the injured climber being winched up to a rescue helicopter from the rocks below.

The climber had suffered a significant fall in the Shortoff Mountain area of Linville Gorge, near the Wolf Pit trailhead.

Because of the remote location and difficult ground, state emergency managers sent in the North Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (NCHART).

Three Charlotte Fire Department members flew out aboard a North Carolina National Guard UH-60M Black Hawk.

Battalion Chief de Jonge, Captain DePoto and Firefighter Parks made up the fire service contingent on the aircraft.

They worked with Burke County crews on the ground and reached the casualty, who was already being treated by a county paramedic.

The patient was lifted off the mountain and transferred to a waiting medical helicopter for further care.

The operation ran from mission approval at 12.20pm through to completion at 3.05pm, bringing together local, regional and state resources.

The Charlotte Fire Department said: "This is the strength of NCHART. Specialized rescuers, aviation assets and emergency responders from across North Carolina training and operating together so that when a complex rescue happens, the team is ready."

There were no updates on the injured climber's condition.

Linville Gorge is one of the deepest gorges in the eastern United States and is known for steep, rugged ground that is hard to reach on foot.

(Joe Golder/Clipzilla/NX)