2 soldiers attacked by bear during training at Army base in Alaska

April 18, 2026 / 2:38 PM EDT / CBS News
Two soldiers from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, were injured in a brown bear attack on Friday during a training session.

"The incident involved two soldiers participating in a land navigation training exercise," a news statement from the 11th Airborne Division, of which both soldiers are a part, said.

"Both individuals sustained injuries and are currently receiving appropriate medical care.

For privacy reasons, we are not releasing names or specific details about their conditions until next of kin has been notified."
Further details on the extent of the soldiers' injuries were not made available as the investigation is ongoing, officials said.

Both soldiers carried and deployed bear spray during the land navigation training exercise, according to the statement provided to CBS News.

It was likely a defensive attack by a bear recently emerging from a den after hibernating during the winter, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said after an investigation.

Officials said they weren't able to locate a bear when scouring the remote region.

It is not unheard of for soldiers to be attacked by bears at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

In May 2022, a soldier, identified as Staff Sgt.

Seth Michael Plant, 30, was killed when he was attacked by a bear west of the Anchorage Regional Landfill, according to the base .

Bear attacks are fairly common in Alaska due to the large population.

There are about 100,000 black bears and 30,000 brown bears in Alaska, according to the Department of Fish and Game.

There were 68 people hospitalized following bear attacks in the state from 2000 to 2017, according to a study by Alaska's Section of Epidemiology.

The vast majority of attacks – similar to the one on Thursday – are by brown bears, about 96%, according to the study.

There were 10 fatalities resulting from eight separate attacks over that time period, the study showed.