The Dyatlov Pass incident is the story of the death of nine student hikers in the Ural Mountains. It’s often referred to as Russia’s greatest mystery. In 1959, after failing to report back, nine students were found frozen to death in sub-polar conditions. Found without their winter clothes, miles from their shredded tent, and with no sign of an avalanche or natural disasters. Yet somehow they suffered injuries that crushed their bodies, and horrifically for some, their tongues and eyeballs were missing. An Unknown Compelling Force: The True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident, Amazon Prime 2024
Mysterious lights were seen in the sky, and the Russian KGB swarmed the site, clouding the whole story in 60 years of mystery. ibid.
Something goes terribly wrong. In the middle of the night, for reasons unknown, the hikers cut their way out of the tent. Tracks showed they fled down the mountain in freezing conditions without clothes or boots. ibid.
Each one suffering inexplicable injuries. ibid.
None are as mysterious as the famous 34th frame. ibid.
‘The first theory of Ivanov [investigator] was murder.’ ibid.
Just what were the hikers fleeing from? ibid.
Postmortem: [First five hikers] All found to have suffered various cuts and bruises to the body. Specific injuries included bruising, cuts and abrasions to the nose, eyebrows and cheeks. Further bruising and abrasions were found on the knuckles and the back of the hands. ibid.
Under public pressure the officials were forced to return the hikers home. ibid.
Postmortem [four hikers found together]: Thibeaux, although found dressed warmer than the first five hikers, had suffered a mysterious and devastating blow to the right side of his head … The unexplained crushing impact to Zolotaryov’s chest … Lyuda wore ski pants which were badly fire-damaged … her tongue was missing … Lyuda suffered a brutal impact to her chest. ibid.
Some of those found in the ravine showed above normal levels of radiation. ibid.
‘I have doubts about the fact that the tent was cut by the hikers.’ ibid. Natalia Sakharova, expert criminalist
The lights in the sky are a red herring. ibid.
How come radiation wasn’t found on any other member of the team? ibid.
Why was the military still so eager to be involved? … They now knew that the hikers had not defected as spies. ibid.
The Mansi [indigenous] people are the original prime suspects. ibid.