By RESHMA KIRPALANI and OLIVIA KATRANDJIAN
July 25, 2011
Towards the end of their outdoor survival skills and leadership program in Alaska, seven teens were lining up in a single file to cross a river when they were attacked by a grizzly bear who was likely protecting her cub, Alaska State Troopers said.
The two teens at the front of the line, including 17-year-old Samuel Gottsegen of Denver and 17-year-old Joshua Berg of New City, N.Y received the brunt of the bear attack, according to The Associated Press.
Both are currently at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, where hospital spokesperson Crystal Bailey said, "They are both in serious condition," noting that the teens are no longer in "critical" condition.
In a phone call from his hospital bed, Gottsegen told his parents, "I have a bunch of cuts on my stomach and back... I guess they said I have two broken ribs, and bite marks on my head."
Looking distressed during the call, Gottsegn's mother, Mindy Gottsegen, said that hearing her son's voice after the bear attack "was like a miracle."
"It was just amazing because the hour that I spent before that was probably one of the hardest hours of my life," she said.
Among the others injured were Victor Martin, 18, of Richmond, Calif., who was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and released after being treated for a bite wound above his ankle, according to Bruce Palmer, a spokesman for the Wyoming-based National Outdoor Leadership School program.
Noah Allaine, 16, of Albuquerque, N.M., was also at Mat-Su, and listed in good condition, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
The Grizzly Attack
The teens were 24 days into the program when they were attacked by the grizzly bear in the Alaskan backcountry near Chulitna, about 120 miles north of Anchorage, according to ABC affiliate KMGH.
NOLS spokesperson Bruce Palmer told the Associated Press that the teens were without a chaperone because "that far into the course, they've learned enough survival skills."
Alaska police said, "As they were doing the crossing they heard from the front of the line, somebody screamed that there was a bear and that's when the mauling started."
"I looked behind me and the bear was behind me," Gottsegen told KMGH. "So, I started running down the hill and it tackled me on the way down."
The group was able to fight off the bear, set up a camp, provide first aid to each other and activate their Personal Locator Beacon at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to police. A helicopter carrying a pilot and a state trooper was launched to investigate the emergency. Over five hours later, at 2:45 a.m., the students were found in a tent.
Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters applauded the teens' survival skills.
"For one thing they were prepared to be out on the wilderness, they had the necessary gear. Those were right things to do. They were able to keep their heads about them, stay together and look after each other," Peters said.
Another group from the NOLS was backpacking about 6 miles away from the bear attack, though they never came in contact with the bear. They were plucked out of the woods by helpicopter on Sunday night.
The attack comes less than a month after a 57-year old man was killed in Yellowstone National Park when he and his wife encountered a bear on a hike. In that case officials believe that the bear was also protecting her cubs.
News Source:
