Scientists Rescued as Polar Bears Closed In

OSLO, Norway (AP)—Three unarmed Polish researchers stranded on a remote Arctic island were rescued as polar bears were closing in on them, officials said Wednesday.
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The men were rescued by helicopter Tuesday after 15 hours shipwrecked at the edge of a tiny bay between two glaciers, he said.

The three were aboard the Polish research ship Horyzont when they set out in a small inflatable boat to pick up equipment on one of the islands.

“Their boat capsized, and they lost all their equipment and weapons,’’ Braaten told The Associated Press. He said they swam and clambered over chunks of floating ice to get to the island of Egdeoya.

Braaten said the ship repeatedly tried to send in another small boat to pick them up, but conditions were too rough. He said the ship finally used a harpoon canon to fire a rope to land, so it could send the researchers food and water. Then it called for help.

“They managed to start a fire, to keep warm and keep the polar bears away,’’ he said, explaining that the men used the spark plugs from their capsized craft’s outboard motor to get the fire going. The island has some dried grass and scrubby plants.
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Polar bears have no natural enemies in their frozen domain and regard all other living things, including humans, as potential meals.

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