Helicopter crew responds to emergency beacon, lifts body out

LEAVENWORTH, Wash. (AP) -- The body of a hiker was flown by helicopter out of the Buck Mountain area, north of Lake Wenatchee, and two other uninjured hikers walked out.

Chelan County Sheriff's Office received a report of an emergency beacon at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday and sent a rescue team to the area.

Sheriff Brian Burnett says they located three hikers at about 6,750 feet (2,057 meters) in elevation and one of the subjects was lying down, wrapped in an emergency blanket.

Since there was no place to land, they sought help from other agencies.

A Navy crew arrived at the site at about 12:40 a.m. Sunday.

They hoisted a 44-year-old man from New York. He was deceased due to unknown injuries.

The other two hikers remained at the scene and planned to hike out at daylight.