Grizzly Bear Mauls School Group in B.C., Leaving Two in Critical Condition and Several Others Hurt

A grizzly bear attacked a group of students and teachers during a school outing in British Columbia this week, sending multiple people to the hospital and leaving two in critical condition, authorities said.

Emergency crews were called at 1:46 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20, after reports of an animal attack on a trail near Highway 20 in Bella Coola, on the province’s Central Coast, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

In a statement, the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service said the group had stopped for lunch along a riverside trail when a grizzly bear came out of the forest and charged. “Multiple teachers physically intervened, using bear spray and a bear banger, to drive the bear away,” officials said. All of the victims were taken into medical care, and conservation officers are continuing efforts to locate and capture the bear.

Emergency officials told CBC that two people suffered critical injuries, two others were seriously hurt, and seven additional people were treated at the scene but did not need hospital care.

A spokesperson for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a brief statement that several people were attacked around 1:30 p.m. on what locals refer to as the “Old Trail.” The conservation office was notified and is actively involved, the spokesperson added, noting that further details were not yet available.

Acwsalcta School — a pre-K–12 school operated by the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola — confirmed on social media that its students and staff were the ones harmed. Authorities have not released the ages of the victims.

In its statement, the school thanked students, staff, families, first responders, and community members for their quick action and support. The message also acknowledged the emotional impact on children who witnessed the attack, emphasizing that they would be cared for as a community.

One parent, Veronica Schooner, said her 10-year-old son Alvarez was among the students on the walk, according to The Canadian Press. She described him as “running for his life,” adding that he was close enough to feel the animal’s fur. Schooner said several people tried to stop the bear, but a male teacher took most of the force of the attack and was flown from the scene by helicopter.

Afterward, she said the children were in shock. “A lot of people were crying,” she told the news agency, adding that she grabbed her son and took him home.

School officials and conservation authorities have not shared additional updates beyond confirming that the investigation and search for the bear are ongoing.