46-year-old hiker to be rescued by stretcher from Larapinta Trail

A lone 46-year-old woman who was hiking a well-known trail in the Red Centre got into trouble after suffering a suspected broken ankle.

Larapinta Trail near Hugh Gorge Junction in the West MacDonnell National Park. Picture: Anthony Keane

A woman is due to be carried 2.5km by emergency services on a stretcher to safety after experiencing injury while hiking on the Larapinta Trail.

The 46-year-old fell into difficulties on Wednesday afternoon and activated her personal locator beacon near Hugh Gorge.

When she was contacted through a messaging device, she confirmed that she had suffered an ankle injury and could not continue walking.

NT Police Southern Watch Commander, Andrew Dunn, said the area in which she was located is quite “rough terrain” and as a result, the Search and Rescue Team was activated and a plan was made.

“At around 5.40pm last night a police member along with a St John paramedic was deployed by a helicopter to that area. They had to walk about 1.5km and they located that female at around 8pm,” he said.

“She was stabilised however it is suspected that she may have suffered a broken ankle from a fall.”

Due to a helicopter not being able to be used to carry out the extraction, the officer and paramedic stayed with the woman overnight.

The hiker will be taken by ambulance to Alice Springs Hospital.

This morning, teams consisting of four park rangers, four police officers and two Northern Territory Emergency Services (NTES) officers were deployed to the area, Sergeant Dunn said.

“This morning they will hike in which is approximately a 2.5km hike each way and that female will be carried out on a stretcher and to a waiting ambulance where she’ll be conveyed to Alice Springs Hospital,” he said.