Latest news with #ChristosStavrianidis
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Seasoned Hiker Dies After Bear Pushes Him Into Ravine
What was supposed to be a routine hike turned deadly for a man in Greece on Monday. Christos Stavrianidis, a reportedly experienced hiker, was in Fraktou forest in northeastern Greece with his friend Dimitris Kioroglou, another hiking veteran, when tragedy struck. The two encountered a bear a few meters away from them when it began to attack. 'I didn't have time to react, that's the truth. My dog got in the way and gave me 2-3 seconds to get the pepper spray out. I sprayed her [the bear]. She ran away, went to Christos [the other hiker] who was on the edge of the cliff. She gave him a push and he fell down,' Kioroglou told the Greek newspaper, Kathimerini. Kioroglou, who credited his dog intervening with giving him the extra time necessary to escape, managed to take shelter in a tree and eventually called for help. Stavrianidis, meanwhile, fell down the 2,600-foot ravine. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to Agence France-Presse. The two men were reportedly hiking toward the remains of a Greek war plane that crashed in the area roughly 70 years ago. Spyros Psaroudas, a general coordinator of the environmental organization Kallisto, spoke with TV ERT and said the bear was likely "surprised" by the climbers. "Condolences to the man's family, he was a nature lover, in love with this area, he had visited it repeatedly and there is no doubt that what happened is something tragic that has shocked us all," Psaroudas said. "The animal was obviously surprised by the climbers. The use of spray is often recommended, but not in our country because it is illegal, but in countries like Canada or the United States, climbers are required to have such sprays, which are used to repel the animal. "Bears, like any other animal, feel the dog as an intruder in their space. However, we cannot know the sequence of events." Our thoughts and prayers are with Stavrianidis' family and friends during this difficult time. Seasoned Hiker Dies After Bear Pushes Him Into Ravine first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 10, 2025
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Hiker dies after bear knocks him into 2,600-foot ravine
A veteran Greek hiker died Tuesday after falling into a ravine in the north of the country after a bear encounter, rescuers said. Christos Stavrianidis was declared dead at Kavala hospital shortly after he was found in the 2,600-foot ravine in Fraktou forest in northeastern Greece, the Ekav national emergency center told AFP. Stavrianidis was in the forest with another experienced hiker, Dimitris Kioroglou, when the incident happened on Monday. "I suddenly saw a bear which attacked me," Kioroglou told news portal NewsIT. "My dog delayed it for a few seconds. I used pepper spray, and it headed to where my friend was and knocked him into the ravine." Panos Stefanou, spokesman for Greece wildlife group Arcturos, said the bear was likely defending itself. "This is more a defensive behavior, not an attack. The bear is trying to push back what it sees as a threat," he told state TV ERT. The hikers were heading towards the remains of a Greek warplane that crashed in the area some seven decades earlier. Stavrianidis had found the plane deep in the forest last August. He was leading efforts to identify a more accessible route to its location to enable more people to visit the wreckage. "It's a beautiful discovery that deserves to be viewed on location... the fuselage is nearly intact," he had told a local journalist last year. "It's a treasure of nature and should be left (in the forest)," he had said. Brown bears are protected under Greek law, according to Ursa Trails, which notes the biggest populations are located in the mountains of western Rhodopes and Northern and Central Pindos. The brown bear population is much denser farther north in Europe. Last month, Slovenia approved the culling of more than 200 brown bears, whose population in a forested area outside the capital had grown to around 1,000. Slovakia has also grappled with a surging brown bear population as well as attacks on humans. In April, lawmakers approved a plan to shoot about 350 brown bears in Slovakia after a man was mauled to death while walking in a forest there, the BBC reported. Last year, a woman died in Slovakia after being chased by a bear through dense forest and mountainous terrain. Australian reporter covering Los Angeles protests shot with rubber bullet by police officer Kristi Noem says "we are not going to let a repeat of 2020 happen" amid L.A. crackdown LAPD chief speaks out about deployment of military forces to anti-ICE protests
CBS News
2 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Hiker dies after bear knocks him into 2,600-foot ravine in Greece, witness says
A veteran Greek hiker died Tuesday after falling into a ravine in the north of the country after a bear encounter, rescuers said. Christos Stavrianidis was declared dead at Kavala hospital shortly after he was found in the 2,600-foot ravine in Fraktou forest in northeastern Greece, the Ekav national emergency center told AFP. Stavrianidis was in the forest with another experienced hiker, Dimitris Kioroglou, when the incident happened on Monday. "I suddenly saw a bear which attacked me," Kioroglou told news portal NewsIT. "My dog delayed it for a few seconds. I used pepper spray, and it headed to where my friend was and knocked him into the ravine." Panos Stefanou, spokesman for Greece wildlife group Arcturos, said the bear was likely defending itself. "This is more a defensive behavior, not an attack. The bear is trying to push back what it sees as a threat," he told state TV ERT. The hikers were heading towards the remains of a Greek warplane that crashed in the area some seven decades earlier. Stavrianidis had found the plane deep in the forest last August. He was leading efforts to identify a more accessible route to its location to enable more people to visit the wreckage. "It's a beautiful discovery that deserves to be viewed on location... the fuselage is nearly intact," he had told a local journalist last year. "It's a treasure of nature and should be left (in the forest)," he had said. Brown bears are protected under Greek law, according to Ursa Trails, which notes the biggest populations are located in the mountains of western Rhodopes and Northern and Central Pindos. Photo taken on June 4, 2018, shows an adult brown bear standing by the wire fence inside Arcturos wildlife sanctuary, where more than 20 bears have found shelter, in Florina, Greece. Xinhua/Dimitris Tosidis via Getty Images The brown bear population is much denser farther north in Europe. Last month, Slovenia approved the culling of more than 200 brown bears, whose population in a forested area outside the capital had grown to around 1,000. Slovakia has also grappled with a surging brown bear population as well as attacks on humans. In April, lawmakers approved a plan to shoot about 350 brown bears in Slovakia after a man was mauled to death while walking in a forest there, the BBC reported. Last year, a woman died in Slovakia after being chased by a bear through dense forest and mountainous terrain.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Veteran hiker dies after bear attack in Greek forest
The bear was likely just defending itself, according to a wildlife group. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: AFP THESSALONIKI, Greece – A veteran Greek hiker died on June 10 in a ravine fall in the north of the country after a bear encounter, rescuers have said. Mr Christos Stavrianidis was declared dead at Kavala hospital shortly after he was found in the 800m ravine in Fraktou forest in north-eastern Greece, the Ekav national emergency centre said. Mr Stavrianidis was in the forest with another experienced hiker, Mr Dimitris Kioroglou, when the incident happened on June 9. 'I suddenly saw a bear which attacked me,' Mr Kioroglou told news portal NewsIT. 'My dog delayed it for a few seconds. I used pepper spray, and it headed to where my friend was and knocked him into the ravine,' he said. Mr Panos Stefanou, spokesman for Greece wildlife group Arcturos, said the bear was likely defending itself. 'This is more a defensive behaviour, not an attack. The bear is trying to push back what it sees as a threat,' he told state TV ERT. The hikers were heading towards the remains of a Greek warplane that crashed in the area some seven decades earlier. Mr Stavrianidis found the plane deep in the forest last August. He was leading efforts to identify a more accessible route to its location to enable more people to visit the wreckage. 'It's a beautiful discovery that deserves to be viewed on location… The fuselage is nearly intact,' he told a local journalist in 2024. 'It's a treasure of nature and should be left (in the forest),' he said. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Greek hiker attacked by bear dies after falling off ravine
A veteran Greek hiker died Tuesday in a ravine fall in the north of the country after a bear encounter, rescuers said. Christos Stavrianidis was declared dead at Kavala hospital shortly after he was found in the 800-metre (2,600-foot) ravine in Fraktou forest in northeastern Greece, the Ekav national emergency centre told AFP. Stavrianidis was in the forest with another experienced hiker, Dimitris Kioroglou, when the incident happened on Monday. "I suddenly saw a bear which attacked me," Kioroglou told news portal NewsIT. "My dog delayed it for a few seconds. I used pepper spray, and it headed to where my friend was and knocked him into the ravine," he said. Panos Stefanou, spokesman for Greece wildlife group Arcturos, said the bear was likely defending itself. "This is more a defensive behaviour, not an attack. The bear is trying to push back what it sees as a threat," he told state TV ERT. The hikers were heading towards the remains of a Greek warplane that crashed in the area some seven decades earlier. Stavrianidis had found the plane deep in the forest last August. He was leading efforts to identify a more accessible route to its location to enable more people to visit the wreckage. "It's a beautiful discovery that deserves to be viewed on location... the fuselage is nearly intact," he had told a local journalist last year. "It's a treasure of nature and should be left (in the forest)," he had said.
