Polar Bear Kills British Boy in the Arctic, Group Member Shoots Bear

A polar bear attacked and killed a 17-year-old British boy in the Arctic and injured four others early Friday. Two individuals were severely injured and flown to Tromsoe in Norway. The victims' families have all been informed of the accident.

A group of 13 mainly 16 to 23-year-olds were on a trip with the British Schools Exploring Society near a glacier on the remote Norwegian island of Svalbard.

The Svalbard governor's office said that a group member shot the bear. A spokeswoman said that all of the victims are shocked.

The attack took place near the Von Post glacier, about 25 miles from Longyearbyen.

Polar bears are the largest predators on land and considered to be one of the few wild species that consistently enjoy hunting humans. Ironically, they don't attack often, because they are extremely isolated in their cold-weather habitat.

Youth development charity BSES has not revealed the name of the 17-year-old boy. BSES chairman Edward Watson said that the society offered their "utmost sympathy."