A US Army soldier was killed by a bear while working at an Alaskan training area

• A solider was attacked by a bear and died of his injuries, the US Army Alaska said.
• Staff Sgt. Seth Michael Plant was attacked at a training base. Another solider suffered minor injuries.

A US Army solider was killed after he was attacked by a bear at a training base in Alaska, the army said, in what officials described as a likely case of a mother bear protecting her cubs.

The Army Alaska said in a statement on Thursday that Staff Sgt. Seth Michael Plant was attacked by a bear on Tuesday while working in a training area at the Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson (JBER) military facility.

He was then brought to the facility's hospital where he was declared dead, the army said.

A second solider was also attacked, sustaining minor injuries. The soldier was released from hospital after they were treated, the army said.

Plant joined the active-duty Army in January 2015 and started at the JBER in July 2021, the army said. He was from Saint Augustine, Florida, and was aged 30.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, which responded to the attack, said the bear was likely trying to defend her cubs, CNN reported.

Cyndi Wardlow, Southcentral Regional Supervisor for the department, said: "From everything we know so far, based on the scene investigation and information from other responding agencies, this appears to be a defensive attack by a female bear protecting her cubs.

"We are trying to learn everything we can about what happened to increase public safety around wildlife in Alaska."

Lt. Col. David J. Nelson described Plant as "an integral part of our organization."

"He was a positive and dedicated leader who brought joy and energy to the paratroopers who served with him," he said in the army's statement.

"He always had a smile on his face, he always went above and beyond what was asked of him, and he served as an inspiration to all who had the privilege to know him. His loss is deeply felt within our organization and we offer our sincere condolences to friends and family."