An 81-year-old man in Russia’s Irkutsk Region managed to fight off a bear and escape by boat after the animal suddenly attacked him.

The incident occurred near the village of Chinonga, where the elderly local resident had been fishing on the Kirenga River, SHOT reports.

After bringing his boat to the shore, the man began unloading his fishing gear when a bear suddenly attacked him.

The pensioner managed to fight back, climb back into his boat and escape from the animal by water.

He suffered injuries to his body and arms but survived the encounter.