Polar Bear kills British tourist
WE have just received this report in. By Sam Marsden, Press Association Chief Reporter
A polar bear has killed one person and seriously injured four others from a British tour group visiting the Arctic, it was reported today.
The tragedy happened this morning about 25 miles from the town of Longyearbyen in the Svalbard islands, which are part of Norway, according to Norwegian state broadcaster NRK. The bear has been killed and the four wounded people are being flown to the mainland, NRK reported.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: ``Our embassy in Oslo is urgently looking into reports of an incident in northern Norway.''
Irish North Pole Expedition 2012:
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News item 2 DEATH Bear
Liv Asta Odegaard, a spokeswoman for the Governor of Svalbard, said:
``We got a call via satellite phone from a British group of campers that there had been a polar bear attack and that one person was dead and that others were injured and they needed assistance.``There are no roads in the area of the Von Postbreen glacier where the incident happened so we scrambled a helicopter ''She added that four other people had been ``severely injured'' and had been taken, first, to hospital in Longyearbyen and that air ambulances would be flying the injured on to University Hospital in Tromso. It is not known how many were in the party or whether they were on an organised tour or travelling individually.
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Date time:051146 AUG 11
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News item 3 DEATH Bear
Earlier this year the Svalbard Governor issued a warning about polar bears after several were seen close to Longyearbyen.
People who spotted bears were asked to telephone a special number. The
Governor reminded the public that under local regulations it was
prohibited to seek out and disturb polar bears and that obvious
violations of this rule could be punished by fine or jail.
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Date time:051153 AUG 11
Memorial to Ger McDonnell and Rolf Bae K2 2008
In Memory Of Ger McDonnell and Rolf Bae: This week we remember our good friends Ger McDonnell and Rolf Bae who died on K2 2nd August 2008. From their family and friends we have lost two great lovable people. Our thoughts are with their families.
Thoughts of Ger and Rolf
I just cant believe that three years have gone by since Ger McDonnell and Rolf Bae have passed away on K2, has had a hugh effect on my thinking of the risks we take especially when it goes to those that we leave behind., our families in particular, yet we as adventurers would not be who we are unless we follow our dreams and passion. I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of those that we love that understands the passion that we have or had as adventures.
This week I celebrate all the good memories of working, climbing and adventuring with two of the most gentle climbers I have known.
I think about their families and how much they miss them.
I have lost 14 friends on high altitude mountains over 8000 meters, but none has effected me as much as the death of Ger and Rolf.
They are gone to a more heavenly place, they are missed and yes their memory continues on in those of us who knew them. May they R.I.P and never be forgotten.
Pat Falvey
Fantastic Glacier week
4 lads headed off to Norway on our last winter training session for this year. Bjorn picked them up and headed North to Jotunheimen Nat. Park, 6-7 hrs away.
In stunning landscapes they went through their gear learning to snow-shoe, crampon, Self arrest, crevasse rescue while hiking and camping across and glaciers and also up some 2,000m snow caps.
Mark Keenan described a great week and said the only thing that slowed them down was the intense sun early in the week and mist toward the end. They all had a great time, thanks Bjorn.
John Ward, Mark Keenan, Ken Delaney and Joe Ward.
photo:Fram Expeditions AS
Team head to Finse for Kiting
Pat is equipped with Exweb Contact software on his iPaq which he will test using the Iridium Sat phone to update a test page on the website. All going well we will be training all team members how to update the website themselves every day with a report and image, sound clip or video clip.
Ski training in Norway
Pat and Shaun headed out in Blizzard conditions to Sirdal where they were instructed by their new team member Dave Bolger whose father is Irish. Dave has vast experience in ski training and will be getting the lads up to speed over the coming months.
Glacier & Winter skills Courses 2009
We have week long courses available in 6th - 13th June. Further details are available from the expedition office.
Ring now 064 44181 - Places going fast!!
Winter Skills Beginners/Intermediate Would you like to learn crampons, Ice axe, roping together, Snow-shoeing, Snow holing and Winter survival skills. Taking in some climbs, glacier crossings in beautiful surrounds. This is the course our South Georgia group had to complete for our expedition last November and is a fantastic course located in Norway.
Suitable for hillwalkers moving on to snow and ice environments, like the Alps, Elbrus, Aconcagua, South Georgia, even Denali and more...
Please visit our gallery to see some great images of previous expeditons and training..Gallery
South Pole Team finish training session
They may go out again before Greenland in August and will be training here in Ireland until then. They also tested some website updating software successfully using an iPAQ and Iridium Satelite phone, further camera and communications testing and training will be provided over the next month or so by Niall Foley.
South Pole team start 300km ski
The skiing trip will involve pulling full sleds in preparation for Greenland which they hope to traverse in August.
Meanwhile back at base, we are oragnising communications and solar equipment to ensure a secure system for them to recharge Satellite phone, GPS, Ipaq, Mp3 and camera's.
We are also testing a bullet video camera to be used in extreme conditions while on the move attached to ski googles or the sled. They will also have a HDV camcorder for documenting their thoughts as the go and doing landscapes in good conditions.
South Georgia Assesment in Norway, June 3rd -10th
We woke to very bright weather and had breakfast on the boil, by the way it dosen't get dark fully. We inspected the snow shelter that Enda and Domhnall had stayed in. A good share had stayed out also to experience the night time vibe. As we were on group one, we were filmimg as we went through a section we had the previous day and on with our crampons. Across a fairly steep mixed snow/rocky section on to a col which led onwards and up to fantastic peak about a kilometre away. We headed up the steep part and on to the summit section were we all had another Irish joyous celebration. Myself and Steve were filming as we went and on the way back got some classic footage of the team squashing the snow shelter before heading out of the glacier and back to Oslo the following day.
We would like to take this oppurtunity to thank all involved in the Norway trip. Our friends and excellent trainers Rolf, Bjorn, Dave, Ivor, Sigur, also Katie, Donal, Geraldine and anyone else who was at helps hand.
~ Niall Foley
South Georgia Assessment in Norway, Day 2, June 3rd -10th
We woke to beautiful weather again, and headed for the hills gradually gaining height, our first stop included a mexican wave as we all adjusted our layers and gear. We pushed on up the valley passing blue lakes frozen since last Autumn and found our rhytym. The team was broken up in to sub groups of 4-6 members before we left Krossbu again simulating the needs for Sth Georgia. We skirted off and up some steep ground on to a crest where we had lunch and discussed where we were the day before in the deep snow, we could see it about 4km away.
Jerry Aherne had his Harmonica and kept us in tune as an overall team.. Thanks Jerry. After crossing a 30 degree snow slope we entered a glacier again and roped up. This one leading up to a steep section and over a pass. We came over the top to a stunning panorama as we were at the top of the glacier, here we marked out a safe campsite on the ice and set up our tents. As there were a few hours left in the day, we left to tackle a few small summits surrounding the campsite which were very impressive. Thanks Eithne for putting on the boil while were away!!
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