According to authorities, teachers warded off a grizzly bear that had pounced on a group of students hiking a trail in British Columbia, Canada, on Thursday.
“As the group paused on a trail close to the town, a grizzly bear came out of the woods and began to attack,” Insp. Kevin Van Damme of British Columbia’s Conservation Officer Service, stated in a social media update. “Instructors managed to drive the bear away using bear spray and a bear deterrent.”
CBC News reports that the attack left 11 individuals hurt, among them fourth and fifth graders.
British Columbia Health Services reported that two individuals were in critical condition, two others were in serious condition, and the remaining seven received on-site treatment.
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The event occurred in Bella Coola, a city situated over 400 miles to Vancouver’s north.
According to Van Damme, the injured were transported to Bella Coola Hospital before being moved to Vancouver for more advanced treatment.
On Friday, authorities were still looking for the bear, which they suspect might have been hurt before.
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“We understand that this event is upsetting to the community. Our investigation is ongoing, and we are in close communication with the Nuxalk Nation. We appreciate their cooperative efforts to spread knowledge and information about safety within the community,” Van Damme stated. “We are thinking of the victims and their families and hope they recover quickly and completely.”
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Tamara Davidson, British Columbia’s Minister of Environment and Parks, referred to the educators who fought the bear as “genuine heroes,” noting that the Guardian reported their preparedness.
