Grizzly bear
Grizzly bear
Alaska State Troopers say a brown bear that mauled two wilderness guides who were leading cruise ship passengers on a hiking excursion went on the attack after the group came between the female animal and her cub.

The guides injured Thursday are crew members of the 74-passenger cruise vessel Wilderness Explorer who were leading 22 people on a hike about 30 miles north of Sitka in southeast Alaska.

A statement from the troopers say two guides "were conducting a guided nature hike for several tourists when they were confronted by a sow and cub brown bear and ultimately mauled. One of the victims did deploy pepper spray and the bears eventually departed the area."

Spokeswoman Sarah Scoltock with vessel operator UnCruise Adventures of Seattle says no one else was injured and she doesn't know if anyone witnessed the mauling on the Sitkoh Creek Trail.

The names of the guides have not been released. A spokeswoman for UnCruise said neither guide is from Seattle,

The Coast Guard said both suffered multiple injuries and severe lacerations.

Scoltock says the guides -- a man and a woman -- were transported to Sitka for treatment. The male guide was treated and released.

The injured woman, 41, was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for further treatment. As of Saturday, she remained in serious condition in the intensive care unit. Her injuries are not considered life-threatening.

The company said none of the guests was injured.

"All crew goes through wilderness training and bear safety training including how to avoid bear encounters. Expedition guides carry bear spray on all excursions off the ship," the company said in a statement.

A Coast Guard helicopter flew the guides out of the wilderness and provided this video of the rescue.

Source: The Associated Press and KOMO Staff