A Polar Bear kills one British tourist and seriously injured four other in an attack last night in Spitsbergen (Norway). The guide then manages to shoot and kill the Bear. The four injured people where send with a medical airplane to a hospital in Tromsö (Norway).

Some years ago I met that shcool (British Schools Exploring Society) at Spitsbergen out in the field. They did not impress me about safety. They had then one gun for about 20 people. They also told me that they slept outside in sleeping bags, without any system for warnig. We used always wires attached to small "fireworks" (dont know the english terms) so when the bear tripped the wire it hopefully got scared by the bang or anyway we woke up. Tragic.

STIG

Is there anything we can do to help

I can be in Norway in 3 hours please just press the button ......

There must be more angry bears around

A few years ago a local man who acted as a guide on cruises along the coast wanted firearms training and ended up with me. He had only fired a rifle once before in his life.
Started with a rim fire, then a 308 and finally a borrowed 416 Remington. My objective was to give him a grounding and convince him of his limitations. It worked he enjoyed shooting and joined the local club.

Shot placement on bears was easy, he had been supplied with a Ruger 44 mag bolt action rifle. My advice was not to take a rifle as it might lead you into taking risks, and only ever use it to scare them by shooting over their heads!

I remember another death by bear there where they had a 22 pistol with just a few rounds !
It isn't Disneyland !

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl...-mauls-british-death

Here's a detailed report. The tripwire failed.For a five week trip they certainly had a good chance of meetin a bear .

quote:

My advice was not to take a rifle as it might lead you into taking risks, and only ever use it to scare them by shooting over their heads!

What kind of stupid advice was that?

My sympathy and prayers goes to the family and friends of the young British man killed by the polar bear at Spitsbergen Island.

On our local TV news tonight the Police rep at Longyear City said that the bear was killed by one shot to the head.

Again, those critters are not to take lightely.
For them, anything that walks, crawls and fly, is food!

It is reported here in the papers today - notoriously inaccurate in such things - that the bear was killed with a single shot to the chest from a "Norwegian K98K rifle". Calibre is not specified - 6.5x55?? In the article there is a photo of a mauser M98 type rifle in original mil surplus spec, no scope etc. There are also photo's of someone shooting the same rifle in cold weather gear, from a seated position - it looks like they are are under instruction.

It is not clear if the guy who shot the bear was the desiginated rifleman for the group or if he was just able grap the rifle and do the job.

In any case it looks like a failure to establish some sort of perimeter defence or warning system. Seems the kids were attacked while they slept in their tents.

In any case, it is a tragedy that a young lad died in these circumstances.

Brian, I "think" I have heard that the rifles one can rent for bear protection on Svalbard, are the old ex Norwegian Army military Mausers M98 in 30-06 calibre.

Those are basic M98 with the 30-06 ( 7,62x63 Nato) barrel that was fitted when Norway made this ex nazi rifles their standard army issue after WW II.

I spent a month kayaking there as a teenager. We certainly made sure that we were adequately prepared, and that basic safety rules such as setting the trip wires was adhered too. All members of the party had to have firearms training.

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dp...km-20110807_14472588

Starving bear
Tripwire failure
No armed guard on duty

Mistakes can be costly !

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...TH-lodged-skull.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2...investigation-begins

Rifle misfires too ??

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...h-Eton-teenager.html

Here's a bit more info. For those big mistakes I can understand a criminal prosecution !

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...apple-toothache.html

One more part to the story .And one more reason to have all your defences working.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...really-happened.html

Eye witness account .
Ate inside their tent --one more mistake.