On July 29, due to an unfortunate series of events a polar bear was shot dead by a polar bear guard after it attacked another guard.
What happened?
The Norwegian authorities tweeted that the polar bear was shot dead after it attacked and injured a polar guard who was guiding tourists off a cruise ship in the Arctic archipelago.
The cruise ship ‘MS Bremen’ was on its way to the northernmost island Svalbard archipelago located between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The archipelago is renowned for its remote icy terrains, glaciers, reindeers and polar bear. The cruise attracts hundreds of tourists each year.
Attacked by polar bear
The cruise ship anchored at the archipelago and two polar bear guards were assisting the people to get off ship. However, one of the polar bear guard was attacked by a polar bear and sustained injuries to his head. The polar bear was shot dead by another employee as an act of self defense.
Victim airlifted
The injured polar bear guard was airlifted to the town of Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen island. He was not identified and no further information was given on him.
Spokesperson for the cruise company said, “He was flown out, was responsive, and is currently undergoing medical treatment. The victim was not in a life-threatening condition”.
The spokesperson further added, “All cruise ships traveling in the northern region are obliged to have polar bear guards aboard”.
Arctic tourism to the region has risen sharply in the last few years and is now in high season. A Longyearbyen port schedule showed that 18 cruise ships will be docking at the Arctic port in the next week.
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Source: AP
