The key facts

  • A bear killed hunter Vitaly Yelfimov on October 28 in the Kuraginsky district of Krasnoyarsk Krai
  • Three men are trapped in the taiga: the Kazy River has not frozen over, and the helicopter cannot take off due to snowfall
  • According to a Legislative Assembly deputy, Yelfimov is the ninth victim of bear attacks in the region since the beginning of the year

Tragedy in the Kuraginsky district

On October 28, in the Kuraginsky district of Krasnoyarsk Krai, experienced hunter Vitaly Yelfimov went to check a forest cabin, encountered a bear, and died from his injuries. This was reported by the Telegram channel Mash and Life.ru citing Mash.

His partner shot the animal but could not get out

The 29-year-old partner of the deceased, named Yuri, followed his tracks, met the bear along the way, shot it, and found his friend's body nearby. He was unable to return: he spent almost three days alone in the winter hut. The nearest village is about 160 kilometers away, and the man had only a few cartridges and food supplies for about a week; he has no experience in hunting or surviving in the taiga, according to a Mash post.

Rescuers made it there — and got stuck too

Two of Yuri's friends set out to help him: they traveled along the Kazy River on an airboat and then walked about 15 kilometers through the snow. Having reached the winter hut, the men also found themselves trapped in the taiga — returning is impossible because ice has not yet formed on the river. According to regional media cited by Life.ru, on November 2 the hunters moved Yelfimov's body to the winter hut, but they cannot deliver it to the possible evacuation site on their own.

The operation depends on the weather

The rescue operation is only possible with a helicopter. According to Mash, snowfall has continued in the area for several days, several settlements are without power, and the timing of the operation is unknown. Life.ru, citing the Emergency Ministry (EMERCOM), specifies that the helicopter is on standby, but bad weather is preventing the flight. The EMERCOM Directorate for Krasnoyarsk Krai did not comment on the information at the time of publication by Gazeta.Ru.

Context: the ninth victim of bears in the region

Earlier, Life.ru reported the death of Vitaly Yelfimov, who was considered one of the best bear hunters in Krasnoyarsk Krai. According to regional Legislative Assembly deputy Elena Penzina, he became the ninth victim of bear attacks in the region since the beginning of the year. By October 29, 1,830 predators had been removed from the wild in the krai, of which 1,122 were culled as part of population control.