Teenage runner competing in a mount race was mauled to death by a blackness bear in Alaska.

The terrified 16-twelvemonth-quondam sent a text to his brother maxim he was being chased by the deport.

His brother was alee of him in the race and close to the finishing line so immediately ran to officials for aid.

Rescuers, including other runners, so used the teenager's telephone GPS to track the missing runner downwards.

But when they found the teen on the mountain he was lying in a rugged wooded area with an 18-stone bear looming over him.

One of the rescuers first on the scene, John Weddleton, said: "So, I got kind of through the castor, down a couple a hundred feet off the trail and...the bear came rushing out of some bushes.

"So, I'm yelling 'comport!' to warn the other people. 'Bear, Comport, Bear!'"

Brad Benter, commenting on the Alaska Acceleration News Facebook site, said he was also at the scene.

He said: "The boy was lost, separated from his family unit and went the incorrect style his phone gps led u.s.a. to him 500 meters north and 600' below trail ½ mode to Bird Creek.

The competition was taking identify in Chugach State Park (

Image:

Universal Images Group Editorial)

"Information technology was a predatory black bear guarding the boys torso when we arrived. It is very tragic, impossible to put the blame on anyone."

Eye witnesses said a ranger shot the creature in the face and it ran off.

Medics so moved in and tried to salvage the boy simply he was later pronounced dead. A helicopter was later used to remove his body.

The boy sent the text to his blood brother, who was a altitude in forepart of him, at 12.37pm.

The teenager had not long reached the halfway bespeak of the race, where younger runners turn around and caput back to the finishing line when the carry came after him.

'Bird Ridge' race director Brad Precosky told how the blood brother asked for help every bit he handed out awards.

Mr Precosky explained: "I went off and talked to him about it, trying to get a straight story.

"He was very shaken and had received this advice."

Officials and runners raced dorsum upwardly the mountain to find the male child (

Image:

Digital Vision)

Officials and beau runners raced support the mountain and found him 500 yards off the trail in a wooded surface area on a slope.

Merely Tom Crockett, a park ranger with Chugach State Park, explained: "The bear was remaining in the area where the swain was laying."

He said the bear seemed to exist a predatory bear, as opposed to a defensive one, which is rare.

The bear ran off after being shot in the face and is still being hunted.

"It did definitely take a slug strike to the face up when the ranger fired on it," Mr Crockett said. "We know he struck information technology."

Talking abut the brave rescuers, Stephanie Cook said on the local paper'southward site: "I witnessed tremendous bravery and compassion in the running community today in the midst of this tragedy.

"I know hearts are heavy."

Mr Precosky said the close-knit Alaskan mountain running community is in shock, adding: "This is the worst matter that could happen.".

The boy was taking office in the Robert Spurr Memorial Colina Climb race in Anchorage on Sun.

Alaska country troopers released a argument saying the boy'southward remains were transported from the scene and his next of kin were notified.

The popular mountain race is in its 29th yr.

The steep course takes adult runners upwards Bird Ridge mountain.

Juniors race to the halfway signal, most 1.5 miles from the beginning, before heading dorsum down.

Rescuers with the Alaska Air National Guard used a helicopter hoist to have the young homo's trunk away from the scene, said Sgt. Nathan Mitchell with the Anchorage Police Department.

"This young human didn't do anything wrong. He was but in the wrong place,' he added.

Mr Crockett said. "You tin can't predict which conduct is going to be predatory."