UK boy killed by polar bear named
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
A 17-year-old boy who was killed by a polar bear in northern Norway was named by the British Schools Exploring Society (BSES) today as Horatio Chapple.
Four other people were injured in the attack, which happened as a party travelling on a BSES expedition were camped on the Von Postbreen glacier near Longyearbyen on Svalbard, north of the Norwegian mainland.
A BSES spokesman said Horatio was a "fine young man" who had planned to read medicine at university.
BSES chairman Edward Watson said: "Having spoken to the family, we are now able to advise that the young explorer who died on our expedition this morning is Horatio Chapple.
"Horatio was a fine young man who wanted to go on to read medicine after school. By all accounts he would have made an excellent doctor.
"We and the Norwegian authorities are currently establishing the full circumstances of his tragic death and will not be releasing this until we have discussed this fully with the family."
Horatio's family from near Salisbury, Wiltshire, said they were too upset to speak.
The party managed to get through to Svalbard Governor's office to call for assistance after the attack early today.
Eventually, the injured were taken by helicopter to hospital in Longyearbyen and then on to University Hospital in Tromso, Norway.
PA
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments