A polar bear has been shot dead after attacking and injuring a guard employed to protect passengers on the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises expedition vessel Bremen.
The Joint Rescue Coordination for Northern Norway said the attack happened when tourists from the 155-passenger Bremen (built 1990) landed on the northern island of the Svalbard archipelago.
The weekend incident is being widely reported around the world and has drawn criticism for the shooting.
However, operator Hapag-Lloyd told Associated Press that the polar bear was shot “in an act of self defence” by a second guard.
The injured man was said to have been airlifted by helicopter to the town of Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen.
A spokeswoman for the German operator is quoted as saying:”He was flown out, was responsive, and is currently undergoing medical treatment.”
The guard is not in a life threatening condition. He suffered injury to the head.
Cruises to the Arctic have become increasingly popular, with the number of vessel visits set to increase given the large number of expedition cruiseships on order.
