Alyeska Security at Pump Station #5 of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline south of the Brooks Range alerted AST at 8:53 pm on Friday that an employee there had suffered serious injuries in a black bear attack.

The victim, identified as 53-year-old Michael Becwar, of Wasilla, was medevaced from Prospect Creek to the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital for treatment of his injuries and is reported to be recovering.

Two days later, on Sunday, pipeline personnel identified the adult male bruin and subsequently dispatched the animal. ADF&G performed a necropsy on the animal and confirmed that the bear was likely the one responsible for the attack.

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