Video: Men floating Alaska river save drowning bear

Three Alaska men are being credited with saving a brown bear from drowning.

Dustin Klepacki was floating the Kenai River with his father and friend last weekend when they came upon the bear cub drowning in a whirlpool.

They tried to bump the bear out of the whirlpool, but the water caught their boat and they turned in circles as the bear became more frantic.

Finally, the current brought the boat up against the bear, and Dustin’s father, Mike Polocz, was able to nudge the bear to slower-moving water. The bear swam to shore. Polocz writes that the cub let out one more cry for mom on shore and the men heard her coming back for the cub.

Another friend, Charlie Mettiale , filmed the rescue on his iPhone, complete with the bear’s cries.

 

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