Arctic explorers armed to ward off bears on attempt to walk to North Pole

Two Irish explorers who hope to conquer what is regarded as the hardest expedition in the world — the North Pole — will be armed with guns to protect them against polar bears during their journey, which begins next month.

The Ice Project team of Clare O’Leary from Cork and Mike O’Shea from Dingle will return to northern Canada on Feb 14 to attempt to walk to the North Pole, having been unsuccessful in 2012 due to failed shared logistics while taking part in the expedition with other adventurers.

The main threats posed to Clare and Mike’s safety , says Clare, will be the extreme cold, thin ice, and polar bears.