Greens Creek mine worker killed in bear mauling
Hunting October 1, 2018 Lee Leschper
The summer’s series of bear attacks has continued with a fatal mauling Monday on Admiralty Island, near Juneau. The victim was working for and at the Greens Creek Mine when attacked and killed by one or more bears.
Here is the information released by the mine this afternoon:
“The Hecla Greens Creek Mine regrets to report that a contracted employee was fatally injured in an encounter with bears earlier today. The identity of the contractor is being withheld until family can be contacted.
“The incident occurred at a remote drill site on the surface of the mine property that can only be accessed by helicopter. Mine personnel are securing the area and working with state and federal authorities to investigate the situation.
“I want to express our condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of the individual at this difficult time,” said General Manager Keith Malone.
“More information will be provided as it becomes available.”
The Greens Creek Mine is located on Admiralty Island, approximately 18 miles south of Juneau, and produces silver, zinc, lead and gold. The mine is 100 percent owned and operated by Hecla Mining Company.
Since only brown bears are present on Admiralty, which has the highest density of brown bears in the world, the attack was certainly by brown bears.
In summer 2017, a female employee of Pogo Mine in interior Alaska was killed and a second woman was mauled by a predatory black bear.
Earlier this summer a hiker near Eagle River was killed by a brown bear sow, which later mauled one of the searchers looking for the missing man. State officials later killed that bear and the grown cub accompanying it.
