A search operation is underway in British Columbia after a suspected grizzly bear attack left one woman dead and her 19-year-old daughter missing. The British Columbia conservation officer service confirmed on Tuesday that they initiated a search over the weekend, leading to the discovery of the mother’s remains on Sunday. Efforts to locate the daughter are continuing as the investigation into the circumstances of the encounter proceeds.
The incident occurred in the Snooka West trail area, situated approximately 8 kilometers east of Bella Coola on the province’s central coast. Relatives had reported the pair missing over the weekend, and a family member later confirmed on social media that the victims’ vehicle was identified at a trailhead near the community. Inspector Jeff Tyre expressed condolences in an online video, stating that the thoughts of the service are with the affected families during this tragic time. About 8km (4.97 miles) east of Bella Coola, on the province’s central coast, the suspected attack happened at the Snooka West trail area.
Bella Coola, a coastal community of roughly 2,100 people, lies at the end of a fjord within the region often called the Great Bear rainforest. While the area’s remote nature and rich food sources frequently bring grizzly bears into proximity with human populations, fatal attacks remain exceedingly rare. Local leadership noted the profound impact of this event on the area, which is still processing a separate wildlife conflict from last November involving a school group.
During the previous incident, a grizzly bear emerged from forest cover near 4 Mile—a Nuxalk community—and injured 11 people, including children as young as nine years old, while they were on a lunch break. Despite a significant search effort at that time, authorities were unable to locate the bear. Nuxalk Nation elected chief Samuel Schooner stated on Tuesday that a trapping operation is currently active to find the animal involved in the latest incident. He emphasized the community’s shared trauma and requested that the media respect the privacy of local residents while the situation unfolds.
