Two US army soldiers injured by brown bear during training exercise in Alaska | Alaska

Two U.S. soldiers were injured after an encounter with a grizzly bear at a mountainous training area in Anchorage, Alaska, the military said Friday.

The incident occurred Thursday while soldiers were participating in a “land navigation training event” in the Arctic Valley, part of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s training area.

A military official said the soldiers were receiving medical care as of Friday Anchorage Daily News. Messages sent to base spokespeople were not immediately provided to The Associated Press on Friday.

The health conditions of the soldiers were not disclosed upon the notice of their relatives.

Both soldiers fired pepper spray at the bear, the official said. Few details were available on the matter as it was still under investigation.

“The safety and well-being of our personnel is our top priority,” Lt. Col. Jo Nederhoed, a spokeswoman for the U.S. military’s 11th airborne division, said in an email to the Anchorage Daily News.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is investigating what is said to be a “defensive attack” by a bear that recently emerged from a den. The ministry said that the area near the area where the incident occurred was closed to entertainment activities by base officials.

The samples were collected by researchers to positively identify the species and gender of the bear involved, the ministry said.

The base covers 100 square miles (259 km2) within the municipality of Anchorage, where up to 350 black bears and 75 brown bears roam freely.