Distressed Hikers Airlifted to Safety

Two hikers are safe after being rescued from the Los Padres National Forest. Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue responded to a call of two people in distress near the area of Dutch Oven Campground in the Dick Smith wilderness on Saturday afternoon.Officials say the hikers were completing a three-day backpacking trip when one of them became injured. Due to snow and rain, the hikers decided to activate a personal locator beacon which transmitted an emergency signal from their approximate location. County Air Support Unit Copter 3 was dispatched. It dropped off rescuers who hiked a short distance to the victims. The hikers were flown back to Santa Ynez Airport where they were evaluated by paramedics. One of the hikers suffered a sprained ankle, but is otherwise okay. 12 Search and Rescue members responded to the call along with the crew of Copter 3, which completed its first SAR mission after being officially commissioned into the County Air Support Unit in December.