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Woman sent spinning during airlift in Phoenix

Posted at 11:22 PM, Jun 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-04 23:22:35-04

PHOENIX — A woman was sent spinning in the air Tuesday while being airlifted after getting hurt during a hike at Piestewa Peak.

The 74-year-old woman was being airlifted to be treated when she started spinning. The Phoenix Pilot Air Support chief said a line attached to the basket carrying her is supposed to keep it from spinning, but it failed in this case.

"We do hundreds of hoist rescues and training away from the public eye, and I can tell you it's something that occurs infrequently," Chief Paul Apolinar said. "It's not something that occurs very often."

The Phoenix fire captain said the woman received medications to treat dizziness and nausea from the spinning, but wasn't harmed otherwise.