by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
BELLA COOLA, CANADA (Worthy News) – A remote Indigenous community in western Canada was reeling Friday after a grizzly bear mauled a group of schoolchildren and teachers on a forest trail in British Columbia, injuring 11 people — two of them critically, according to local officials.
The attack occurred Thursday afternoon near Bella Coola, some 700 kilometers (435 miles) northwest of Vancouver.
The Nuxalk Nation, which governs the region, said an “aggressive bear” remained at large late Thursday as police and conservation officers searched the area.
“Officers are armed. Remain indoors and off the highway,” the First Nation warned in a public safety message.
TEACHERS TRIED TO PROTECT CHILDREN
Emergency Health Services spokesman Brian Twaites confirmed that two victims were airlifted in critical condition, while two others sustained serious injuries.
Several additional children and staff were treated at the scene for non-life-threatening wounds and trauma.
Parents described scenes of terror and bravery as teachers tried to shield students.
Veronica Schooner, whose 10-year-old son Alvarez was among the fourth- and fifth-grade group on the walk, said adults rushed to intervene. One male teacher “got the whole brunt of it,” she said, and was among those flown to hospital.
ACCIDENTALLY HIT BY BEAR SPRAY
Schooner said her son was just inches from the grizzly. “He even felt its fur,” she explained. “He said that bear ran so close to him, but it was going after somebody else.”
In the chaos, some children were accidentally hit with bear spray as staff fought to drive the animal away.
Alvarez made it to safety but was reportedly limping, his clothes muddy from running.
His mother said his focus was on classmates who were hurt. “He keeps crying for his friends, and oh my goodness, right away he started praying for his friends,” she added.
SCHOOL CLOSED; COUNSELING OFFERED
Acwsalcta School — an independent school operated by the Nuxalk First Nation — announced it would remain closed Friday and that counselors would be available for students and families coping with shock and fear.
“It’s hard to know what to say during this very difficult time. We are so grateful for our team and our students,” the school said in a message to the community.
As of Friday, conservation officers had not yet confirmed whether the bear had been located.
Canadian wildlife authorities say encounters of this severity are rare, but rural communities in grizzly territory often face heightened risks during autumn feeding periods.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
Dutch authorities have foiled a planned attack on a building housing a synagogue and school in the western town of Heemstede, detaining two teenagers suspected of preparing an explosion or arson with terrorist intent, officials said.
Israel has carried out a rare and far-reaching military strike on Iran’s Caspian Sea port of Bandar Anzali, targeting a logistics hub used by Russia and Iran to transport weapons, according to the Wall Street Journal..
The partial government shutdown stretched into its 39th day Tuesday as Senate Democrats rejected a Republican-backed plan to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, drawing sharp criticism from conservatives who argue politics is being placed ahead of national security.
Louisville, Kentucky has agreed to pay $800,000 in attorney’s fees to Christian photographer Chelsey Nelson following her legal victory over the city’s public accommodations law, which had required her to photograph same-sex weddings if she offered services for traditional marriages.
Israeli intelligence assessments indicate Hezbollah has been significantly weakened, losing an estimated 85% of its missile arsenal since the war ignited by Hamas’ October 7 massacre. The Iranian-backed terror group is now believed to possess between 11,000 and 13,000 rockets—roughly one-sixth of its pre-war stockpile.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the ongoing conflict with Iran has already resulted in what he described as a “regime change,” signaling a dramatic shift in leadership dynamics within the Iranian government as Washington presses forward with negotiations to end hostilities.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Tuesday that Israeli forces plan to occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, outlining a strategy to create a “defensive buffer” amid ongoing conflict with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization.