Bay Area Teen Attacked by Grizzly

A teenager from the Bay Area is flying home Monday after being part of a group attacked by a grizzly bear over the weekend in Alaska.

Victor Martin, from Richmond, was participating in a 30-day back-country adventure organized by the National Outdoor Leadership School.

He was walking across a river single file with six other teens when the bear burst out and viciously attacked two of the campers in the front of the line. It also injured at least two others, included Martin.

This happened Saturday night. It took rescuers 8 hours to reach them after they activated their emergency locator beacon.

During that time the group had to fend for themselves treating the most seriously wounded. Martin reportedly suffered a bite above his ankle, but was treated and released from the hospital. His cousin said he kicked the bear as it was attacking him, possibly saving his life.  The cousin also said Martin was one of the people who helped keep the most seriously hurt alive while they waited for help.

Alaska state troopers indentified the worst injured with bear bite wounds as 17-year-old Joshua Berg of New City City and 17-year-old Samuel Gottsegen of Denver. They were being treated at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.

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