LONDON – The four British survivors of a deadly polar bear attack in Norway’s Arctic Svalbard archipelago have been operated on and will be transferred home as soon as possible, officials said Saturday.

None of the injuries were life threatening, University Hospital in Tromsoe spokeswoman Marit Einejord said, adding that the four were resting after surgery. British Ambassador Jane Owen, who visited the group in the hospital, said they were “all bearing up well.”

The grieving family of Horatio Chapple, 17, who died in the attack, paid tribute to a schoolboy they described as “strong, fearless and kind.” His relatives said in a statement that he had been “so excited about his plans to be a doctor” and praised his “ability to laugh at himself.”

The attack took place in Svalbard, a group of islands home to about 2,400 people and 3,000 polar bears.

The campers were in a group of 80 people, most of them from 16 to 23. Many posed Wednesday for a final photo together before splitting into smaller groups to head out to more remote parts of the Arctic.

The bear attacked one of the groups, made up of 13 people, in the early morning, leaving them with moderate to severe wounds, officials said. The bear was eventually shot — apparently by 29-year-old adventurer Michael “Spike” Reid, his father said Saturday.

The polar bear, a 550-pound male, will be examined by specialists, said Liv Asta Oedegaard, a spokeswoman for the Svalbard governor’s office.

Police are investigating the attack and are questioning survivors, she said.

 

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