I wrestled polar bear after it mauled student to death, school trip leader tells inquest

 
Tragic: Horatio Chapple (Picture: PA)
Alexandra Rucki8 July 2014

An expedition leader has described the moment he wrestled a polar bear after it killed a 17-year-old as he slept in his tent on a school trip to a Norwegian island.

Horatio Chapple, of Salisbury, Wiltshire, was mauled to death while on an adventure holiday to the Svalbard islands with the British Schools Exploring Society (BSES).

The Eton pupil was asleep inside his tent when the bear went on the rampage. Four others were hurt before the bear was shot dead at the camp site, where the group, known as Chanzin Fire, had been staying.

Explorer: Michael Reid (Picture: PA)

Also injured during the incident were Andrew Ruck, 27, from Brighton, 17-year-old Patrick Flinders, from Jersey, and 16-year-old Scott Bennell-Smith, from St Mellion in Cornwall.

Trip leader Michael Reid, known as Spike, from Plymouth, Devon, told the Salisbury inquest he wrestled with the bear after his rifle failed to fire.

He said he was awoken by several people shouting "bear attack". He then grabbed the group's rifle and left his tent.

He said: "There were shouts of 'bear', or 'bear attack', male voices, from more than one person. Immediately I exited the tent through one of the doors with the rifle.

"The only priority was getting out as swiftly as possible and taking the rifle with me as this was a serious situation."

He continued: "The bear was close and it was on top of one of the YEs (young explorers) in their sleeping bags. I believe it was Scott Bennell-Smith.

"I was not focusing on other people other than the bear that was on top of person on the ground. I do not recall seeing Horatio.

"I cocked the rifle, took aim, aimed it carefully as I didn't want to shoot the YE, although it was close I didn't want to injure the YE or worse.

"So I took a carefully aimed shot at the bear in the chest area of the bear but the rifle didn't fire. I cocked the rifle again and took another attempt at an aimed shot at the bear.

"I do not know why this failure was happening and so I carried on this until the magazine was empty.

"The bear was very close so I was able to get a clear aim."

Describing how the bear then turned on him, Mr Reid said: "The bear then came and attacked me because the rifle was then on the ground beside me.

"I shouted 'Use your pen rounds' event though I hadn't briefed the others where they were stored overnight, and although they are not safe to use (in close quarters) they are better than this bear carrying on.

"I remember the bear biting my head and I thought the weakest part is the eyes so I tried to take out the eyes with my fingers, but was unsuccessful.

"Once it had moved off me I then recall asking 'Where is my rifle?' and someone said 'It's in your tent' and I found it there.

"With one of the rounds that was on the ground having been ejected, I cocked the rifle and fired the round at the bear as it was attacking someone else."

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