Bear emerged from forest to attack school group having lunch: B.C. conservation

BELLA COOLA — British Columbia’s Conservation Officer Service says a grizzly attack on a group of school students happened when the bear emerged from the forest as pupils and teachers were having lunch on a trail in the coastal community of Bella Coola.

The service says multiple teachers “physically intervened” in the attack and used bear spray and a bear banger to drive the grizzly away.

The group with students in Grades 4 and 5 were on an outing Thursday when the attack happened and the conservation service says the injured are three children and one adult.

Two suffered critical injuries and two serious injuries and are being transported to Vancouver for emergency care, while seven others were treated in the community.

The service says its officers worked overnight to find the grizzl