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This report has been transmitted via sat-phone just now (18.4.02, 20h). We spoke to Peter Hüttel, who seems to be quite down. All members of the expedition are shocked. Here is the report from Thomas: Today it happened. While Peter, Michael and I went off the next very difficult passage, Ralf, who stayed in the hut, was "visited" several times by a polar bear. Yet last night the bear came 3 times up to our hut. Every time the dogs were barking and Ralf displaced him by yelling and striking two pans together. on our way back, we already heard the dogs barking and Ralf sent us a warning via wireless communication that the bear is near by. So we went down the way from the hill and could see the polar bear; it seemed like he was absconding. When we reached the hut, Ralf showed us the scribing of the paws directly beneath the window of our cabin and told us, that the bear was prowling around the cabin for more than one hour. Even some warning shots didn't displace him at all. Suddenly he came near again and couldn't be displaced by all the noise, we were able to make, far from it, he came nearer step by step. While I was filming Ralf and Micheal went around the cabin and then things were overturning. The bear actuated forcefully, I was shouting "he comes", and then I heared the shot - the bear collapsed. --- We all had a bad feeling to see a such majestic animal to end like this. Via sat-phone we informed the public authority; some hunters will come and take care of the carcass. Now, the dead polar bear was put in the cabin; the hunters told the team to do so, because they don't want the bear to be damaged by polar foxes. For days they were up in the north, searching for polar bears. Our team rather would have abandoned this experience. back ... if you have any corrections, mail it to me!

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