Bear and two cubs fatally maul 18-year-old worker at remote mine, Alaska troopers say

A bear and two cubs killed an 18-year-old worker at a remote Alaska mine Monday morning, reported KTVA.

Anthony David Montoya, 18 of Hollis, Oklahoma, died in the attack, which was reported at 8:44 a.m. Monday near the Greens Creek Mine, reported the station.

Kimberly Bell, a family friend, said Montoya won the nickname “Shark Bait” for being the smallest player on his high school football team, reported KTUU.

“When Shark Bait walked in, you knew it’s fixin’ to be crazy,” Bell said, according to the station. “He’s gonna’ do something silly to make somebody laugh.”

Montoya had worked as a ranch hand in Hollis before landing a mining job after graduating from high school, reported KTUU.

“He just kind of had this laughter and smile that just was contagious,” Bell said, according to the station. “And it has rocked our whole community.”

In a Facebook post, Helga Greens Creek Mining Co., which operates the mine, said the attack took place at a remote drill site only accessible by helicopter. The post said Montoya was an employee of Timberline Drilling of Idaho who worked at the mine under contract.

“I want to express our condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of the individual at this difficult time,” wrote general manager Keith Malone in the post.

The mine on Admiralty Island, south of Juneau, produces silver, zinc, lead and gold, according to the Facebook post.

Only brown bears are found on the island, according to The Anchorage Daily News. The three bears that attacked Montoya were killed.

“This is a tragic incident,” Mike Satre, spokesman for Hecla Greens Creek Mining Co.. said in a statement, reported the publication. “Bears are regular visitors in and around our workplace, however this is the first time since the mine opened almost 30 years ago that a bear encounter has resulted in an injury of any kind.”