Russian woman is feared to have been killed by bears after ‘walking out of wedding where she’d argued with a guest’
- Yana Balobanova, 24, is believed to have been killed by wild brown bears in the Sverdlovsk region of Russia
- Balobanova made desperate emergency calls from mobile to say she was lost
- Rescuers used trained sniffer dogs to track her trail, but the search animals became agitated when her path crossed with the smell of multiple bears
A Russian woman is feared to have been killed by wild brown bears after she reportedly vanished during a forest wedding celebration where she had argued with a guest.
Yana Balobanova, 24, made desperate emergency calls from her mobile to say she was lost in a remote forest in Sverdlovsk region.
But rescuers were unable to find her. They used trained sniffer dogs to track her trail, but the search animals became agitated when her path crossed with the smell of multiple bears, said reports.
The beasts’ footprints were also seen, leading to reports that she was attacked by the bears.
Yana had left a friend’s small wedding party held in the forest near Severouralsk town.
She reportedly had a row with another guest and went alone to find her way out of the thick trees.
Yana Balobanova, 24, made desperate emergency calls from her mobile to say she was lost in remote taiga in Sverdlovsk region
But rescuers were unable to track her. They used trained sniffer dogs to track her trail, but the search animals became agitated when her path crossed with the smell of multiple bears, said reports
Searches have continued for more than a month but with no trace of her or her remains.
Wildlife inspector Andrei Sakulin: said: ‘It is no longer possible to hope that the woman will be found alive.’
There were footprints of a mother bear and cubs which meant the spot was ‘very dangerous for humans’, he said.
‘If a person accidentally finds themselves between a bear and her cubs, the predator can attack immediately and harshly, without growls and warnings.
‘Bears attack with lightning speed, up to 60kph (37mph) – so it is impossible to run away. At this time of year male bears also behave aggressively.’
Her remains may have been buried by bears, it was reported.
Balobanova is feared to have been killed by wild brown bears (file photo) after she reportedly vanished during a forest wedding celebration where she had argued with a guest
Yana had left a friend’s small wedding party held in the forest near Severouralsk town
Her distraught father Yakov Balobanov told E1: ‘The dogs reached a certain place in the forest and came very close to the handler’s feet.’ They were fearful of bears nearby, he said.
At this spot ‘there are bear footprints everywhere, adults and cubs. So it is possible a bear got her.’
Yana had no experience of surviving alone in the forest, he said.
She called the emergency services once in the evening, and a second time early next morning, but then her calls ceased and there was no trace of her.
A video shows rescuers searching for the woman and calling her name.
Natalia Volkova, head of Proryv volunteer search squad, said: ‘We came across an old man who was picking berries in the forest…
‘He remembered her because he was surprised to see a young woman there all alone.
‘Search dogs picked up her smell but it has not led to anything yet..’
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