FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — A camper killed when a tree fell in a remote part of Fannin County over the weekend has been identified as a University of Alabama senior.
Fannin County Emergency Management Agency officials identified the camper as Malachi Crain.
Bama Catholic, the campus ministry serving Catholic students at the University of Alabama, said Crain was getting a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science and had been leading a men’s Bible study for over two years.
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EMA officials say Crain and three others were sleeping in hammocks in a remote area of the Cohutta Wilderness Area near Panther Creek Falls.
A father and daughter in the area called 911 at 2:15 a.m. on Saturday and said they heard a tree fall, then found the four campers. One of them was unresponsive and trapped beneath the tree and another was injured.
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.
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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.
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