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Horatio Chapple inquest: expedition leader 'tried to gouge polar bear's eyes' Horatio Chapple inquest: expedition leader 'tried to gouge polar bear's eyes'
(35 minutes later)
A leader of an Arctic expedition in which a British schoolboy was mauled to death by a polar bear has told an inquest how the animal turned on him and described how he tried to fight it off by gouging it in the eyes.A leader of an Arctic expedition in which a British schoolboy was mauled to death by a polar bear has told an inquest how the animal turned on him and described how he tried to fight it off by gouging it in the eyes.
Michael Reid told the inquest into the death of 17-year-old Horatio Chapple that he tried to shoot the bear as it rampaged through the camp but he could not get the rifle to work.Michael Reid told the inquest into the death of 17-year-old Horatio Chapple that he tried to shoot the bear as it rampaged through the camp but he could not get the rifle to work.
Reid said: "I remember the bear biting my head and I thought the weakest part is the eyes so I tried to take out the eyes with my fingers, but was unsuccessful."Reid said: "I remember the bear biting my head and I thought the weakest part is the eyes so I tried to take out the eyes with my fingers, but was unsuccessful."
Eventually the bear was shot dead. But in the first few moments of the attack the animal had slashed its way into Chapple's tent and dragged the Eton College student out, causing fatal head and upper body injuries.Eventually the bear was shot dead. But in the first few moments of the attack the animal had slashed its way into Chapple's tent and dragged the Eton College student out, causing fatal head and upper body injuries.
The inquest in Salisbury, Wiltshire, has heard that the party was on an expedition to the remote Svalbard archipelago in Norway in August 2011 with the British Schools Exploring Society (BSES).The inquest in Salisbury, Wiltshire, has heard that the party was on an expedition to the remote Svalbard archipelago in Norway in August 2011 with the British Schools Exploring Society (BSES).
Reid said that on the morning of the tragedy he was awoken by several people shouting "bear attack". He then grabbed the group's rifle and left his tent.Reid said that on the morning of the tragedy he was awoken by several people shouting "bear attack". He then grabbed the group's rifle and left his tent.
He said: "There were shouts of 'bear', or 'bear attack', male voices, from more than one person. Immediately I exited the tent through one of the doors with the rifle. The only priority was getting out as swiftly as possible and taking the rifle with me as this was a serious situation."He said: "There were shouts of 'bear', or 'bear attack', male voices, from more than one person. Immediately I exited the tent through one of the doors with the rifle. The only priority was getting out as swiftly as possible and taking the rifle with me as this was a serious situation."
He continued: "The bear was close and it was on top of one of the YEs (young explorers) in their sleeping bags. I was not focusing on other people other than the bear that was on top of person on the ground.He continued: "The bear was close and it was on top of one of the YEs (young explorers) in their sleeping bags. I was not focusing on other people other than the bear that was on top of person on the ground.
"I cocked the rifle, took aim, aimed it carefully as I didn't want to shoot the YE. So I took a carefully aimed shot at the bear in the chest area of the bear but the rifle didn't fire. I cocked the rifle again and took another attempt at an aimed shot at the bear. I do not know why this failure was happening and so I carried on this until the magazine was empty. The bear was very close so I was able to get a clear aim.""I cocked the rifle, took aim, aimed it carefully as I didn't want to shoot the YE. So I took a carefully aimed shot at the bear in the chest area of the bear but the rifle didn't fire. I cocked the rifle again and took another attempt at an aimed shot at the bear. I do not know why this failure was happening and so I carried on this until the magazine was empty. The bear was very close so I was able to get a clear aim."
Describing how the creature turned on him, Reid said: "The bear then came and attacked me because the rifle was then on the ground beside me." He tried to fight the bear off.Describing how the creature turned on him, Reid said: "The bear then came and attacked me because the rifle was then on the ground beside me." He tried to fight the bear off.
"Once it had moved off me I then recall asking: 'Where is my rifle?' and someone said: 'It's in your tent' and I found it there. With one of the rounds that was on the ground having been ejected, I cocked the rifle and fired the round at the bear as it was attacking someone else.""Once it had moved off me I then recall asking: 'Where is my rifle?' and someone said: 'It's in your tent' and I found it there. With one of the rounds that was on the ground having been ejected, I cocked the rifle and fired the round at the bear as it was attacking someone else."
The inquest has heard that the Mauser 98K rifle had a three-position safety catch mechanism which meant that rounds could be ejected if fired with the catch in a certain position.The inquest has heard that the Mauser 98K rifle had a three-position safety catch mechanism which meant that rounds could be ejected if fired with the catch in a certain position.
Reid said that he was unaware of this at the time and did not know which position the catch had been in. Reid said he was unaware of this at the time and did not know which position the catch had been in.
He said he had no recollection of seeing Horatio during the incident but went on to pay tribute to the youngster. He said he had no recollection of seeing Horatio during the incident, and he went on to pay tribute to the youngster.
"He was a member of our team, one of the best in our team if not the best in the whole expedition," Reid said. "He was a fine young gentleman with amazing potential, I enjoyed being on the expedition with him.""He was a member of our team, one of the best in our team if not the best in the whole expedition," Reid said. "He was a fine young gentleman with amazing potential, I enjoyed being on the expedition with him."
Reid said a "bear watch" – a guard to keep an eye out for attacks – could have been held on the night of the attack but it would have left the team tired and left them vulnerable to cold-related illness during the coming day's planned long trek.Reid said a "bear watch" – a guard to keep an eye out for attacks – could have been held on the night of the attack but it would have left the team tired and left them vulnerable to cold-related illness during the coming day's planned long trek.
A report into the tragedy commissioned by BSES concluded that the bear, which was old and malnourished, managed to get into the campsite without triggering a trip wire alarm. As well as killing Horatio the bear injured four other members of the party. A report on the tragedy commissioned by BSES concluded that the bear, which was old and malnourished, managed to get into the campsite without triggering a trip wire alarm. As well as killing Horatio the bear injured four other members of the party.
The report suggested that the rifle – which the party was obliged by law to carry because of the danger of bear attacks – did not work because it was not set up properly and criticised the briefness of the training the party received in using the weapon. The report suggested that the rifle – which the party was obliged by law to carry because of the danger of bear attacks – did not work because it was not set up properly, and criticised the briefness of the training the party received in using the weapon.
The report also highlighted problems with the trip-wire system – of a kind principally used by gamekeepers to protect bird pens – designed to alert the explorers that a bear was approaching. He said this was "defective in terms of missing pieces of equipment".The report also highlighted problems with the trip-wire system – of a kind principally used by gamekeepers to protect bird pens – designed to alert the explorers that a bear was approaching. He said this was "defective in terms of missing pieces of equipment".
According to the report, the group knew the system was unsatisfactory: paper clips had been inserted into part of the mechanism to try to make it work and one team member had blundered into the wire a few days before when he went to the toilet without activating the blank cartridge designed to raise the alarm.According to the report, the group knew the system was unsatisfactory: paper clips had been inserted into part of the mechanism to try to make it work and one team member had blundered into the wire a few days before when he went to the toilet without activating the blank cartridge designed to raise the alarm.
On day one of the inquest, Horatio's parents said they believed that other safety precautions would be taken including the issuing of pen flares to all expedition members to scare off bears. Horatio's father, surgeon David, said his son had been left to try to fight off the huge predator with his bare hands. On day one of the inquest, Horatio's parents said they had believed that other safety precautions would be taken including the issuing of pen flares to all expedition members to scare off bears. Horatio's father, surgeon David, said his son had been left to try to fight off the huge predator with his bare hands.
The inquest continues.The inquest continues.