Teams of conservation officers in British Columbia have been working through the night to locate a grizzly bear involved in an attack on an elementary school group. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service reported on Sunday that the search is focused around Bella Coola, where a female bear and her two cubs are believed to be. An RCMP aircraft equipped with thermal imaging cameras is assisting in the search efforts.

Insp. Kevin Van Damme stated, "We continue to work collaboratively with the Nuxalk Nation to share updates and provide support as needed. We also again urge people to not join in search efforts themselves, due to the public safety risk."

The search began after the attack on Thursday, which resulted in serious injuries to three students and a teacher. At the time of the incident, approximately 20 students and staff were on a field trip, enjoying lunch in a remote area about 700 kilometers northwest of Vancouver.

In response to the attack, a cultural fire has been lit outside the community's youth center and is expected to burn until Monday. Additionally, a GoFundMe campaign initiated by the Nuxalk Nation has raised nearly $40,000 in less than 24 hours. The funds are intended to assist the families of the injured with medical expenses and support community healing efforts.

The fundraising page noted, "This was an unprecedented attack and occurred despite the group following standard safety protocols, and teachers fighting off the bear. Our community lives in good relationship with bears, and is shocked by this tragic incident."

Conservation officers are employing various methods, including DNA evidence analysis, to identify the bears involved in the attack. According to the statement released on Sunday, any bears that are captured will undergo assessment in consultation with biologists and the provincial veterinarian to determine the appropriate next steps.