Employee Mauled to Death by Two Polar Bears at Remote Nunavut Radar Site
A tragic and rare polar bear attack has claimed the life of a worker at a remote radar site on Brevoort Island, Nunavut, in the Canadian Arctic. The incident occurred on Thursday at an outpost of the North Warning System, a network of air-defense stations operated by Canada and the United States to monitor potential threats from the polar region.
Nasittuq Corporation, the company managing the site, confirmed the fatal attack and stated that one of the polar bears involved was subsequently put down. However, details surrounding the circumstances of the attack remain limited as the company works closely with local authorities to investigate the incident.
In a statement released on Friday, Nasittuq expressed deep sorrow over the loss of their employee, whose identity has not been disclosed out of respect for the family’s privacy. “It is with deep sorrow that Nasittuq Corporation confirms a tragic incident occurred yesterday at one of our work locations on Brevoort Island, Nunavut. An attack by two polar bears has resulted in the loss of one of our valued employees,” the statement read.
The company emphasized its commitment to employee safety and announced that it is offering support and counseling services to the family of the deceased and other affected workers. “The safety and well-being of our employees is our highest priority, and we are deeply committed to ensuring a safe working environment,” Nasittuq added.
Brevoort Island, a small, uninhabited landmass at the eastern edge of Baffin Island, is part of the harsh and remote landscape where such attacks are exceedingly rare. Polar bear encounters with humans are uncommon, but when they do occur, they can be fatal. This incident marks the second reported polar bear attack since the beginning of 2023. In January of the previous year, a polar bear in Alaska killed a woman and her one-year-old child—the first fatal polar bear attack in the United States in over three decades.
The global polar bear population is estimated to be between 22,000 and 31,000, with 60 to 80 percent of these majestic animals residing in Canada. As the investigation into this tragic event continues, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers inherent in working in some of the world’s most remote and unforgiving environments.