A polar bear was shot on Saturday, July 28, after it attacked a bear guard who was leading tourists off a Hapag-Lloyd Cruises ship close to the North Pole in Norway.
The attack occurred on the northernmost island of Svalbard archipelago, situated between mainland Norway and North Pole. The region is known for its sea lions, stark landscapes and polar bears.
The man, who was not identified, suffered unspecified injuries to his head. Fortunately, they were not life-threatening and the man was in stable condition after the attack. He was medevaced for treatment to the nearby hospital, according to a statement issued by the Northern Norwegian Rescue Coordination Center.
The polar bear was shot by another employee, also a bear guard, of MS Bremen cruise ship, “in an act of self-defense,” according to a spokeswoman for Hapag-Lloyd.
Bear watchers, as they are called on the website of the cruise line, are armed and accompany nature guides whenever they take passengers on tours off the cruise ship. All vessels in the area are required to have guards to protect tourists from bears as they sightsee.
For other ms Bremen accidents and incidents see at the ship's CruiseMinus page.