Prince William rescues stranded hikers at night via helicopter

[NBCNews]

Adrian Dennis / AFP / Getty Images filePrince William is pictured during his training at airbase RAF Cranwell in January 2008. By Alexis L. Loinaz, Eonline   He may not have come riding in on a white horse, but this prince still came  to the rescue, albeit on a different steed altogether.

On Tuesday, Prince William swooped in to help save a pair of hikers via  helicopter after the two were reported missing earlier this week while trekking  the mountainous north Wales region of Snowdonia.

Per British media reports, the unidentified hikers,  who were in their 40s and 50s, made their way to the area's Glyder range but  were forced to camp out there on Monday — where freezing temperatures could prove  life-threatening — after lacking the necessary gear to get them off the mountain  before nightfall.

Prince William saves schoolgirls in helicopter sea  rescue

The two had promised to phone a friend with an update during their trip, but  when the call never came, authorities were alerted and a search party was  dispatched.

The pair were eventually found by a mountain rescue team aided by rescue  dogs, and William and his helicopter crew arrived to take them to safety.

Consider it yet another heroic feather in the royal's increasingly  be-feathered cap: Duchess Kate's hubby, who is a trained pilot with the RAF  Search and Rescue Force, has been putting those chopper skills to essential use.  Over the last six months, he's participated no fewer than four rescue missions,  including saving shipwrecked Russians in the Irish Sea and schoolgirls stranded off the Welsh coast.

Looks like this is one prince whose duties to his people transcend mere  ceremonial pomp and pageantry.

More:

• Prince William leads rescue attempt at sea
• Prince Harry dances with kids, wears teddy bear apron on Africa tour
• Video: Duchess Kate shows off bump, returns to charity work
• Princess Diana's iconic gowns up for sale

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