On the night of June 18th, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office RAVEN 3 and Search and Rescue were requested by Lassen County Sheriff’s Office to assist in rescuing an injured paraglider who crashed in the mountains near Hallelujah Junction.
RAVEN 3, a UH-1 “Huey” helicopter equipped and crewed for advanced technical hoist operations, responded to the remote mountain location. Due to the challenging terrain and time of day with low-visibility, the rescue required a nighttime hoist operation, one of the most complex and high-risk missions the team performs.
As highlighted in recent updates, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office RAVEN and Search and Rescue teams regularly train for exactly these types of high-stakes missions. That training paid off with this call for service.
The injured paraglider was successfully hoisted from the scene and delivered to a secure landing zone, where CareFlight assumed care and transported the patient to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno.
“I’m incredibly proud of our RAVEN team and the Search and Rescue volunteers who put their skills into action under the most demanding circumstances,” said Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam. “This successful rescue is a testament to the hours of training and the deep commitment our team brings to every call. We’re also grateful for the strong partnerships with regional agencies that help make life-saving missions like this possible.”
We extend our sincere gratitude to all partner agencies who supported this multi-jurisdictional rescue effort, including the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, SEMSA, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, CareFlight, California Highway Patrol, and Plumas County Sheriff’s Office.
