A woman was eaten alive by bears and her final moments of life were captured in a harrowing phone call.
Olga Moskalyova, 19, made a series of desperate calls to her mother, Tatiana, as the horrific attack unfolded.
During these calls, the teenager gave a heart-wrenching account of her death.
After hearing of the tragedy, people have reacted online, with one person penning: “It’s hard to even imagine getting a call like that from my daughter.”
A second agrees, writing: “How cruel is that… Hearing someone you love die horribly and not being able to do anything about it.”
Olga fell victim to the brutal attack while with her stepfather, Igor Tsyganenkov, near a river in Russia, in the far east of Siberia.
It began when Olga and Igor had gone to the site to retrieve a fishing rod the stepfather had left behind.
Igor was attacked by a brown bear who overpowered him, breaking his neck and crushing his skull.
Olga, who witnessed the attack, attempted to flee. She ran for about 70 yards through tall grass and reeds to escape the gruesome scene.
The mother bear caught up with the teenager, grabbing her leg.
During the prolonged attack, Olga called her mother, who sought help. She alerted the police and contacted relatives in the village, pleading for them to hurry to the riverbank. Unaware Igor was already dead, Tatiana also tried to call him but received no response.
Her desperate efforts to get help were in vain, as the bears continued attacking her daughter.
The situation was so dire that six hunters were dispatched by emergency services to track down and kill the mother bear and her three cubs.
This was to prevent further attacks and to secure the area, ensuring no one else would fall victim to the wild animals.
As the bears were hunted down, Olga’s lifeless body was found.
Igor’s brother, Andrei, arrived at the scene with police – only to witness the gruesome sight of the mother bear still devouring the stepfather’s body.
The double tragedy has highlighted the risks faced by people living in or near bear habitats in Russia.
There has been an increase in such attacks, due to animals seeking food in places where humans have settled.
As humans continually encroach on wildlife territory, such conflicts are becoming more frequent, raising concerns about safety and conservation.
Tatiana, devastated by the loss of her daughter and husband, described Olga as a vibrant young woman with a bright future.
Through tears, she said (per MailOnline): “My daughter was such fun. She was so cheerful, friendly, and warm.”
Olga had recently graduated from music school and days before the attack, had earned her driving license.
She was happy with her life and reportedly had a boyfriend named Stepan.
The tragic loss of Olga and Igor has left a void in the lives of those who loved them – with the most heart-wrenching part of this tragedy being the series of phone calls the teenager made to her mother during the attack.
The 19-year-old managed to make several desperate calls to Tatiana, providing a chilling hour-long commentary on her death.
In the first call, she reportedly screamed: “Mom, the bear is eating me! Mom, it’s such agony. Mom, help!”
Initially, Tatiana thought Olga was joking.
Yet as she heard the pain and terror in her daughter’s voice, along with the sounds of a bear growling and chewing, she realized the horrifying truth.
In a subsequent call, a weakened Olga gasped: “Mom, the bears are back. She came back and brought her three babies. They’re… eating me.”
In her final call, the teenager said: “Mom, it’s not hurting anymore. I don’t feel the pain. Forgive me for everything, I love you so much.”
The line then went dead, marking the final time Tatiana would hear her daughter’s voice.
