FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — A camper is dead, and another has minor injuries after a tree fell on a campsite in a remote area of Fannin County.
Fannin County Emergency Management said a 911 call came in around 2:15 a.m. on Saturday that one of the campers had life-threatening injuries and another camper was injured from the fallen tree.
“Four young men were sleeping in hammocks at the time of the incident. One individual was reportedly trapped beneath the tree and was unresponsive,” Fannin County EMA said in a post on Facebook.
The campers were in a remote area of the Cohutta Wilderness Area near Panther Creek Falls.
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“A nearby group of two campers—a father and daughter—heard the tree fall and rushed to the site after hearing cries for help. They provided immediate support to the injured group and remained with them throughout the incident. After emergency teams arrived, the father and daughter later hiked out with the two uninjured campers and helped transport them back to their vehicle,” Fannin EMA said.
The terrain around Panther Creek Falls “is rugged, marked by steep inclines, dense forest cover, and extremely limited access.”
EMA said the campsite was about 4.2 miles from the nearest trailhead, making it 8.4 miles round-trip for rescuers.
EMA posted video of aerial crews that were called in to help the camper who was injured.
“Without air support, a ground evacuation would have demanded far more personnel, extended the duration of the operation, and increased the risk to both rescuers and the patient,” Fannin County said.
EMA said their deepest condolences went out to the family of the man who was killed.
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