Canada Searches for Bear that Attacked School Group of 20 childrens

Authorities were searching Friday for a grizzly bear that emerged from the forest in a remote part of Canada and attacked a group of 20 children and their teachers, critically injuring two people. 

A total of four people remained in hospital a day after Thursday's attack in the Bella Coola area of Canada's western British Columbia province, provincial officials said. 

The bear targeted children -- aged nine and 10 -- doing outdoor activities from the Acwsalcta school



in Nuxalk First Nation.

Inspector Kevin Van Damme of the BC Conservation Officer Service told reporters that the teachers used bear spray to repel the attack and "put themselves in harm's way to protect the children." 

"In my 34 years of experience, I have not seen a (bear) attack like this with such a large group of people," he said. Two people suffered "critical" injuries and two were in "serious" condition, the Provincial Health Services Authority told AFP in a statement.