A grizzly bear attacked a group of primary school students and teachers in Canada, leaving 11 people injured.
Two people were left critically injured, and two sustained serious injuries following the attack at Acwsalcta School on Thursday in Bella Coola, northwest of Vancouver.
Emergency Health Services spokesman Brian Twaites said in a statement that two ambulances and a helicopter were called to the scene.
‘Paramedics provided emergency medical treatment to four patients and transported them to hospital. Two patients were in critical condition and two were in serious condition,’ he said.
Police corporal Madonna Saunderson said she did not yet know the age or gender of the injured students, but described the victims’ injuries as ‘very serious at the very least.’
Veronica Schooner said her 10-year-old son Alvarez was in the Year 4-5 class that was attacked while on a walk and was so close to the animal ‘he even felt its fur.’
‘He was running for his life,’ she told local media.
Ms Schooner said several people attempted to halt the attack but one male teacher ‘got the whole brunt of it’ and was among the people taken by helicopter from the scene.
A grizzly bear attacked a group of primary school students and teachers in Canada , leaving 11 people injured (stock image)
Two people were left critically injured, and two sustained serious injuries following the attack at Acwsalcta School on Thursday in Bella Coola, northwest of Vancouver
She added that Alvarez was left ‘traumatized’ by the attack on his friends, and three children were among those with major injuries, although Emergency Health Services have not officially confirmed the ages of any of the victims.
‘He said that bear ran so close to him, but it was going after somebody else,’ said Ms Schooner.
She said that when she picked up Alvarez, he was ‘in shock,’ and his shoes were covered in mud from his ordeal.
‘Everybody was in shock at the school. A lot of people were crying, and I don’t know, I just wanted my son, and I grabbed him, and then I took him home.’
Bella Coola authorities said Thursday evening that the ‘aggressive bear’ remained on the loose, and that police and conservation officers were on the scene.
‘Officers are armed. Remain indoors and off the highway,’ the First Nation said in a social media post.
Ms Schooner also said that some residents were guarding roads around the community.
Jayme Kennedy, the chair of the Central Coast Regional District, said in a statement that she was sending ‘heartfelt support to the Nuxalk Nation’ and all who have been touched by the bear attack.
‘We are all feeling devastation as we try to understand the magnitude of the attack and navigate what has happened.’
She said the regional district would be available to help in any way it could.
Acwsalcta School said in a Facebook post that the school will be closed on Friday due to the bear incident.
‘It’s hard to know what to say during this very difficult time. We are so grateful for our team and our students,’ the post said.
