A grizzly bear has attacked a group of schoolchildren on a hike in Canada, leaving at least one person dead and 11 injured.
The incident happened on Thursday in Bella Coola, when an “aggressive” bear charged at the group of children and teachers. The animal is still on the loose.
Nuxalk Nation, the self-governing Indigenous community in the area, said police and conservation officers were deployed to track the bear. Samuel Schooner, chief of the Nuxalk Nation, said: “We are devastated for the individuals and families impacted by the bear incident. All individuals involved are receiving medical support and our priority is to ensure that they are safe.”
Residents were urged to stay indoors and not search for the bear. One male teacher “got the whole brunt of it” and was among those airlifted to hospital. Ms Schooner said her 10-year-old son Alvarez was so close to the bear “he even felt its fur”, adding: “He said that bear ran so close to him, but it was going after somebody else.”
Teachers sprayed the bear with bear spray as they tried to shield pupils, she said. Alvarez was limping following the attack. “He keeps crying for his friends, and oh my goodness, right away he started praying for his friends,” she added.
The group were from Acwsalcta School, an independent school run by Nuxalk First Nation. The school said: “It’s hard to know what to say during this very difficult time. We are so grateful for our team and our students.”
According to the Winnipeg Sun, it is the sixth bear incident in Canada this year. In July, a man was bitten and scratched near Fort Nelson, while a hunter died after fighting off a grizzly in East Kootenay in October.
The attack comes as northern Japan deals with a surge in bear encounters, which have killed at least 12 people and injured more than 100 since April. Bears have wandered into schools, train stations, supermarkets and even a hot springs resort. “Every day, bears intrude into residential areas in the region and their impact is expanding,” deputy chief cabinet secretary Fumitoshi Sato said. “Responses to the bear problem are an urgent matter.”
Japan has deployed troops to help set box traps, transport hunters and dispose of dead bears. Soldiers will not use firearms, despite Akita governor Kenta Suzuki saying local authorities were “desperate” for manpower.
Brian Twaites, emergency health services spokesperson, said two people were critically injured and two had serious injuries, with others treated at the scene.
