The Coast Guard airlifted two wilderness guides who were mauled by a bear in Alaska. One of the guides is in Seattle receiving treatment.
The two are wilderness guides, a man and a woman, with UnCruise Adventures, who were leading a group of 22 cruise ship passengers on a nature hike about 30 miles north of Sitka Thursday when they encountered a brown bear sow and a cub about 2.5 miles up the trail.
The two were ultimately mauled, according to Alaska State Troopers.
One of the guides deployed bear spray and the animals eventually retreated. None of the guests were harmed.
A Coast Guard helicopter found a place nearby to pick up the injured -- who had what the Coast Guard said were "multiple injuries and severe lacerations” -- about 200 yards away from the group.
An UnCruise Adventure medical team hiked to the scene to help with the evacuation and the Coast Guard crew hoisted the man and woman into the chopper. The UnCruise team safely escorted the hiking group back to the ship.
The victims were flown from Sitkoh Bay off Chichagof Island to Sitka hospitals.
After being evaluated there, the male victim was treated and released.
The female guide was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where she is in intensive care in serious condition.
UnCruise Adventures spokesperson Sarah Scoltock said all crew goes through wilderness training and bear safety training, including how to avoid bear encounters. Expedition guides carry bear spray on all excursions off the ship, Scoltock said.
Scotlock told KIRO 7 the guides are used to leading groups and asking everyone to hike loudly, since bears typically avoid people and noise.
“We say, ‘hey bear, hey bear.’ We’re constantly talking and making noise as we hike. Bears don’t want to encounter humans,” she said.
Scotlock said the crew and guests are all supporting each other. The group was doing well enough to be going on water excursions Friday. Their trip began on Saturday in Juneau and are expected to arrive in Sitka, as planned, tomorrow.
When asked whether the company may consider having guides carry more than bear spray, Scotlock said, “Certainly, everything will be talked about and considered. We want to learn as much as we can from any incident that happens.”
This is the first time in the company’s 20-year history that an attack has happened while guests were on an excursion. A crew member was injured in an encounter with a bear more than 20 years ago, but that person was alone and not working with any guests.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Associated Press Contributed to this story.
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