Banff National Park: Two people killed after attack by grizzly bear in Western Canada park

Two people were killed after an attack by a grizzly bear in a national park in Western Canada, and the bear was later killed by park rangers, officials said. 

The Parks Canada agency received an alert from a GPS device on Friday evening in Red Deer River valley, Banff National Park, Alberta, which indicated a bear attack was happening, spokeswoman Natalie Fay said in a statement.

A response team was mobilised but was hampered by bad weather and could only reach the site by about 1am on Saturday when team members found the bodies of a couple. Identities of the victims were not immediately released.

Ms Fay said:  “Weather conditions at the time did not allow for helicopter use, and the response team travelled through the night to the location by the ground. The team found an aggressive grizzly bear in the area and killed it for the sake of public safety.”

Authorities closed portions of Banff National Park, a popular tourist destination, as a precaution.

Kim Titchener, founder of a group that provides bear safety seminars, said she was a friend of the family of one of the victims and said they were a Canadian couple. She said their dog was also killed. 

She said: “This couple were very experienced outdoor enthusiasts. They were in the back country to camp.”

The statement from Parks Canada said Royal Canadian Mounted Police later transported the victims to Sundre, Alberta. The statement said:  “This is a tragic incident and Parks Canada wishes to express its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims.