During
the night of the 1st of February 1959 a team of nine experienced
cross country skiers abandoned their tent in the Russian Ural Mountains
and fled to a nearby forest. They were in such a hurry that they were
only partially clothed and cut though the sides of their tent to save
time. The temperature outside was minus 15 degrees. Within hours they
were all dead. Rescuers recovered their bodies at two separate times and
discovered that while some had frozen to death others had sustained
injuries. Reports have made claims of high levels of radiation, strange
lights in the sky, missing body parts, strange orange skin tones and
even the possibility of UFO involvement. Now we seek to understand the truth about what really happened.
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Dear Reader
We originally
published our review of this mystery in September 2008 and based it on
what materials we could find at the time. Since then we have been
contacted by the people who were actually involved and have been given
access to some of their research and personal insights. In particular we
discovered that much of the "so called' information on the internet
about this case is exaggeration, or in some cases, outright
misinformation. These pages are being regularly updated as new findings
and information becomes available.
There really is an extraordinary mystery here that actually becomes more bewildering the more you remove the hype.
We currently now have over 200 pages of reports (many of them in Russian) and correspondence. We continue to work through them for insights and to improve the accuracy of this site. The work of our group has been recognised and recently received a letter of thanks from the Dyatlov Foundation Reunion.
Paul
Aquiziam Team Leader
We currently now have over 200 pages of reports (many of them in Russian) and correspondence. We continue to work through them for insights and to improve the accuracy of this site. The work of our group has been recognised and recently received a letter of thanks from the Dyatlov Foundation Reunion.
Paul
Aquiziam Team Leader
AN OVERVIEW
In brief, the rescuers and later
investigators discovered that during the night, and for an unknown
reason, the ski-team had apparently ripped or cut open their tent from
the inside and fled from it into the snow in temperatures of
approximately -15 to -18 degrees Celsius where there was a cross wind of
approximately 10 – 15 kilometres per hour (20 – 30 knots). While not as
cold as the -30 degrees often reported these were still very harsh
conditions and survival would be limited to between three to eight hours
depending on whether those involved could keep moving. At least five of
the team had fewer cloths on than would have been expected and some may
even have been barefooted. Within six to eight hours every member of
the ski-team was dead.
The corpses were discovered at
various distances from the camp site and showed little immediate outward
sign of injury but on investigation it was discovered that two victims
had a fractured skull (one severe), two had broken ribs, and one was
missing her tongue. In addition, two of the victims' clothes were
discovered to contain trace levels of radiation. Russian investigators
finally closed the case stating only that "a compelling unknown force"
had caused the deaths. Again, this is a mistranslation that has added to
the misunderstanding. In actual fact the correct term is “Force
Majeure” and is an expression that is simply used to describe something
significant that cannot be easily explained. It is also often reported
that after the event the area, now loosely known as Dyatlov Pass, was
immediately sealed off by the authorities and access forbidden for at
least three years. Again, this implies much more than actually
happened. The area was restricted but only to amateur ski-sports
enthusiasts and only for reasons of safety.
This is a little known mystery and
truly deserves much more attention as it is well documented and was
formally investigated. Once much of the “exaggeration” and “journalistic
hype” has been explained it is possible to understand that there is
only really one incredible mystery and it is this. Why did nine people
flee from their tent in conditions that were almost certain to result in
their deaths?
Later in this review we will
examine the allegedly bizarre evidence and accusations and provide some
answers. With the assistance of some of the actual original
investigators the Aquiziam team has done its best to piece together the
story from the information available – some of it in Russian. This is
what seems to have happened
PURPOSE OF THE TRIP
According to Dr Vladimir B. group
ski activities of this type were fairly common although each had their
own somewhat different purpose. In his experience of Russia at the time
the usual reasons were Sporting, Sightseeing (Aesthetic Appreciation)
Social and Exploratory. The various teams would be made of people with
varying degrees of appreciation for these interests. In the case of the
Dyatlov Team their focus was on the Sporting Challenge of trip and in
particular they aspired to undertake an excursion of the highest level
of difficulty (complexity).
It is often stated that the purpose
of this particular trip was to reach the mountain “Gora Otorten” but,
in fact, the proposed route was much further. After Otorten the team
planned to travel 100 kilometres southwards along the main ridge of the
Ural Mountains up to Ojkachahl Peak. From this point they intended to
follow the (Northern) Toshemka river thus passing 100 miles to east of
the town of Vishay (Vizhaj). Today, with the availability of advanced
equipment such a route would only be considered “average” in difficulty
but in 1959 is was one of the hardest that could be undertaken.
As more becomes clear it seems that
Igor Dyatlov had intended this trip as "training" for a future
expedition possibly to the the sub polar or even polar / Artic regions.
According to B. E. Slobtsova formal training did not exist at this time
for such ventures and depended on experience gained during trips such as
the Dyatlov team were undertaking.
THE SKI TEAM
The Dyatlov ski team was made up of
eight men and two women who, except for Alexander Zolotarev, were
mostly students or graduates from the Ural Polytechnic Institute located
in Ekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, and now renamed the Yeltsin
Ural State Technical University. Georgyi Krivonischenko, Rustem
Slobodin, and Nicolas Thibeaux-Brignollel were engineers. Igor Dyatlov
and Zinaida Kolmogorova were students of the Radio Faculty, Lyudmila
Dubinina and Yuri Yudin were studying Economics, Yuri Doroshenko was
studying Power Economics and Alexander Kolevatov was a student of the
Geo-Technical Faculty.
Alexander Zolotarev was a ski /
tour instructor (a professional travel guide) and wanted to go together
with Dyatlov’s team to add performance points to his degree and so
achieve promotion to the rank of “Master” or Expert instructor. This was
and still is the practice in Russia.
Zolotarev did not know the other
team members but was recommended by friends of the team from the sports
club. He was accepted into the team and according to the diaries he
co-operated and worked well with all of them. It is worth noting that
Sports Associations were common at this time as was the willingness for
people, who shared an interest such as skiing, to cooperate with each
other where possible.
Ski Team Members
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Order Found
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Found
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Wearing
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Injuries
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Cause of Death
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Georgyi Krivonischenko (24)
(Георгий Кривонищенко) |
26 Feb 1959
Found 1st |
Forest edge Under pine tree
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Bare foot (socks) & wearing only underclothes
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None recorded as unusual
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Hypothermia
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Yuri Doroshenko (21) (Юрий Дорошенко) |
26 Feb 1959
Found 1st |
Forest edge Under pine tree
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Bare foot (socks) & wearing only underclothes
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None recorded as unusual
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Hypothermia
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Igor Dyatlov (23) (Игорь Дятлов) Group's Leader |
26 Feb 1959
Found 2nd |
Between Forest and camp site
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Not known
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None recorded as unusual
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Hypothermia
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Zinaida Kolmogorova (22)
(Зинаида Колмогорова) |
26 Feb 1959
Found 2nd |
Between Forest and camp site
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Not known
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None recorded as unusual
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Hypothermia
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Rustem Slobodin (23)
(Рустем Слободин) |
26 Feb 1959
Found 2nd |
Between Forest and camp site
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Not known
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Minor skull fracture
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Hypothermia
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Nicolas Thibeaux-Brignollel (24)
(Николай Тибо-Бриньоль) |
4 May 1959
Found 3rd |
Forest Ravine 75m from main pine Tree
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Better dressed
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Severely crushed skull
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Fatal Injuries & Hypothermia
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Lyudmila Dubinina (21)
(Людмила Дубинина) |
4 May 1959
Found 3rd |
Forest Ravine 75m from main pine Tree
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Better dressed – also wearing Krivonischenko’s pants as shoes
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Missing Tongue and oral cavity, Many broken Ribs
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Fatal Injuries & Hypothermia
(Trace Radiation) |
Alexander Zolotarev (37)
(Александр Золотарев) |
4 May 1959
Found 3rd |
Forest Ravine 75m from main pine Tree
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Better dressed – also wearing Dubinina’s coat and hat
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Many broken ribs
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Fatal Injuries & Hypothermia
(Trace Radiation) |
Alexander Kolevatov (25)
(Александр Колеватов) |
4 May 1959
Found 3rd |
Forest Ravine 75m from main pine Tree
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Not known
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None recorded as unusual
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Hypothermia
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Yuri Yudin (Юрий Юдин) |
N/A
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N/A
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N/A
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Fell ill and returned home before the event
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Survived
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The
group first travels by train. Their destination is Ivdel, a central
city of the northern province of Sverdlovsk, Oblast where they stay
the night.
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This picture was thought to be members of the Dyatlov group but is now revealed to be a picture of the rescue party.
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Information about this picture needs to be updated!
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THE EVENT TIMELINE
This timeline has been put together
based on available evidence, life expectancies after injury, passing-on
of clothes, travel times, estimates of survival in extreme conditions
and best probabilities. Since preparing our original, we have also
gained access to the official timeline published in 2006. When
reconstructed in this way most of the components do start to fit
together. For example it seems to have troubled investigators that only
two members had traces of radiation. However, the timeline clearly shows
that the source of contamination was originally Dubinina’s cloths which
were later worn by Alexander Zolotarev. These were the only two members
to have trace radiation. Having said all of this – it is still an
estimate based on supposition and calculation.
25 January 1959 |
Unknown
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First
traveling by train, the group arrives at Ivdel (Ивдель), a central
city of the northern province of Sverdlovsk, Oblast where they stay the
night.
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26 January 1959
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Morning
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The group catch a lift with a truck that takes them to Vizhay where they stay the night.
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27 January 1959
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Unknown
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The group starts their march towards “Gora Otorten” (map reference: ) from Vizhay.
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28 January 1959
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Unknown
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Yury
Yudin becomes ill and turns back to Vizhay. The others continue their
trek towards Gora Otorten by following the valley and river.
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31 January 1959
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Unknown
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The
group reaches the edge of the highland zone where they will break
away from the River. They spend the day preparing for the climb.
According to the “March Plan” they intended to leave a stock of
supplies in a corn chandler’s shop. However another account suggests
that they actually constructed a shelter in a nearby wooded area for
the same reason.
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1 February 1959
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Morning
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The
group set off for what will be their last campsite. The distance they
will travel is not great and is only about 2.5 miles - although a
steep incline through the forest as well as weather and snow
conditions may have made the journey very slow going.
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1 February 1959
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4.00pm
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Ttowards
the evening of the 2nd of February they find themselves on the
slopes of Kholat-Syakhl (a Mansi name, meaning Mountain of the Dead).
They set up camp on the exposed slope of this mountain some 10 miles
from their destination - Gora Otorten. Evidence from the photographs
suggests that they were in a positive frame of mind. They had cleared
the trees and skiing should become easier from this point to the
mountain
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1 February 1959
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6.00pm – 7.00pm
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The group eat a meal.
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1 February 1959
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7.00pm – 10.00pm
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Tired,
at least some of the Group settle down for the night. This is
apparently evidenced by the fact that at least some of them were not
fully clothed when they abandoned the tents. The temperature outside
is bitterly cold – some say as low as -18 degrees Celsius. (To be
honest, it is strange that they took off any clothes at all in these
hostile temperatures. When members of the team camped near Berlin,
Germany, in early December 2004 the temperature dropped to minus 17
degrees Celsius and we slept with all our cloths on including our
boots.) Whatever the conditions, some of the Group felt relaxed
enough to undress. This is perhaps the strongest evidence that
they were not experiencing anything significantly out of the
ordinary.
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1 February 1959
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Estimated:
9.30pm – 11.30pm |
The Dyatlov Pass Incident (Accident) Begins!
The timing of this is calculated based on the undigested food in the
stomachs of the deceased. The group, in various states of undress,
cut or rips through the sides of the tent(s) and flees downhill to
the nearest forest. There is no doubt that they are scared and in a
hurry. They know they will not survive long in the outside
temperature so must be fleeing for their very lives. Why they should
need to cut through the tent is bizarre in itself? Had they tied the
fastenings shut and didn’t have time to untie them? These and other
still unanswered questions will be raised later to this section.
Tracks found in the snow suggest that the group was scattered at first but came back together some distance (+/-300m) down the slope. |
1 February 1959
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Estimated:
10.30pm – 12.30pm |
It
appears that the whole group hides under a larger than average pine
tree on the edge of a nearby forest approximately 0.8 to 1.55 miles from
their tents. Evidence of clothes transfer (sharing)
significantly suggests they initially stayed together as a group.
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1 February 1959
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Estimated:
10.00pm – 11.00pm |
Desperately
cold but clearly in mortal fear of returning to their tents, they
light a fire. For possibly two hours they remain where they are. The
fire helps but Igor Dyatlov knows that it is not enough to keep them
alive. The “great” pine tree is lower than the campsite and broken
branches suggest that at least one of the team tries to climb it to
see if they can view what is happening.
Desperate and disoriented three members of the team decide to try and return to the tents. Igor Dyatlov, Zinaida (Zina) Kolmogorova and Rustem Slobodin make this superhuman effort. Already near dead from hypothermia, or something else, they fail to make it and collapse at various intervals. Their deaths are inevitable. They are found separately at 300, 480 and 630 meters from the pine tree. |
2 February 1959
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Estimated:
12.00pm – 1.00am |
When
the leader of the team fails to re-emerge, the remaining members of
the group wait for some sign of hope. Two further members, Georgyi
Krivonischenko and Yuri Doroshenko die from cold while waiting. (It
may be that these two died before Dyatlov decides to try for the
tents and their deaths may have been the catalyst for the decision)
The remaining members of the Group are desperately afraid.
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2 February 1959
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Estimated:
12.00pm – 1.00am |
The
members of the group that are still alive take the clothes from the
dead bodies of their comrades. In particular, Dubinina wraps her
feet in the trouser no longer needed by Krivonischenko. Straining
their eyes they look in the direction of the tents. Finally they make
the decision to move further away along and into the woods. It is
likely that it was at this time that the injuries sustained by this
group occur.
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2 February 1959
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Estimated:
12.30pm – 1.30am |
The
survivors make it a further 75 – 700 metres into and along the woods
before descending into a ravine. They huddle together but it is
clear that Nicolas is dead. They wait and as they do Dubinina dies from
chest injuries and hypothermia. Alexander Zolotarev takes (or is
given) her coat and hat to try and keep himself warm.
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2 February 1959
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Estimated:
12.45pm – 1.45am |
Alexander Zolotarev dies from a combination of chest injuries and hypothermia.
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2 February 1959
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Estimated:
1.30am – 2.45am |
Alexander Kolevatov, frozen, afraid, alone and exhausted drifts off to sleep – he will never awake.
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Post event – date and time unknown
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Unknown
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Between
the time of her death and the discovery of her body three months
later something examines the bodies lying in the ravine. Dubanina’s
head is thrown back with her mouth open just as it was while she took
her last dying breath. Her tongue may already be frozen as something
rips it, and possibly the lining of her oral cavity, from her body.
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12 February 1959 | N/A | This is the date that the Dyatlov Ski Team were meant to arrive in the town of Vishay and send a telegram announcing the completion of their route. They do not arrive and obviously no telegram is sent. This is the first real indication that something has gone wrong. However, a later converstation with B. E. Slobtsovym sugests that the team had planned an extention to their trip and would hav only arrived in Vishay on the 14th. |
20 February 1959
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Unknown
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Relatives of the missing skiers pressure the management of the Institute into dispatching a search and rescue party.
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21-25 February 1959
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Unknown
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An
initial failure to find the skiers results in the military and
civilian authorities becoming involved in the search. Soldiers and
officers take part and both planes and helicopters are dispatched to
the area. The first sighting is made by the pilot of a plane.
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26 February 1959
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Unknown
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The
searchers find the abandoned camp on the eastern slope of mountain 1079
- Kholat Syakhl. The tent was badly damaged. A chain of footsteps
could be followed, leading down towards the edge of nearby woods (on
the opposite side of the pass, 1.5km north-east), but after 500
meters they were covered with snow. At the forest edge, under a large
old pine, the searchers find the remains of a fire, along with the
first two dead bodies, those of Krivonischenko and Doroshenko,
shoeless and dressed only in their underwear. They are buried under
snow.The branches of cedar, under which they were lying, were broken at
a height of about 5 meters. On the trunk of a tree forensic doctors
found traces of skin and other tissues. With this evidence it is
believed that they climbed the tree and broke off branches until their
hands were literally raw.
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26 February 1959 | Unknown |
Three
hundred meters from the fire and in the direction of the tent
searchers find the body of Igor Dyatlova. He is laying on his back with
his head towards the tents, one hand is holding a small birch tree
branch and the other is shielding his head.
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26 February 1959 | Unknown |
180
m from the body of Igor Dyatlow and in a direction towards the tent the
searchers find the body of Rustem Slobodin. He is lying face forward
in the snow. Slobodin was also found to have a skull fracture of about
17 cm in length. however, experts have determined that his death was
most probably from hypothermia.
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26 February 1959 | Unknown | A further 150m from the body of rustem Slobodin and even closer to the tent, the searchers discover the body of Zinaida Kolmogorov. Traces of blood are found nearby. (We don't know the source of the blood yet.) It is worthy to note that it was Zinaida, a woman, that made it the furthest. |
4 May 1959
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Unknown
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Second
group is found buried in a ravine under 4 metres of snow. Ludmila
Dubinina is found to have a symmetrical fracture of several ribs one of
which may have pieced her heart. causing extensive extensive
cardiovascular for 15-20 minutes after the injury. Alexander Zolotareva
is found to have broken ribs on the right side.
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This
account (above) has been recreated from the available evidence. We are
the first to admit that it may have happened very differently. Still,
this is the evidence that we have to work with.
(We have been informed that this is a picture of a different group)!
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While the tent is similar, we have been informed that this was an earlier group.
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These people were having fun!
(Not the final Campsite) |
The general terrain of the Ploar Ural Mountains.
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The campsite on the slopes of Kholat-Syakhl. Not really an avalanche threat.
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The Dyatlov Pass Accident - incident - occurs!
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The original mystery was reported
in Russian. By looking at these and comparing them to English versions
we have identified quite a number of components that seem to have been
lost in translation. These “facts” may-or-may not be true but are as
follows: (THIS FOLLOWING SECTION STILL NEEDS TO BE UPDATED AND
CORRECTED.)
1. Yuri Yarovoi (a Sverdlovsk
writer and journalist who was the photographer for the original rescue
mission and later involved in the inquest) wrote a fictional book
entitled “of the highest Rank of complexity” (strange title). Although
he clearly had knowledge and insights not available to the average
person his book was a romanticised version of the event with a
significantly happier ending. He was allegedly made to rewrite it twice
before the authorities permitted its publication. In this version only
the team leader dies. Now this is the interesting part: Yuri and his
wife were killed in a car crash in the mid 1980’s a few short years
before the partial declassification of the Dyatlov papers. According to
this source all his papers, records and private notes of the Dyatlov
Pass Incident have gone missing.
2. Some details of the tragedy
became publicly available in 1990 due to publications and discussions in
Sverdlovsk's regional press. One of the first authors was Sverdlovsk
journalist Anatoly Guschin (Анатолий Гущин). Guschin reported that
police officials gave him special permission to study the original files
of the inquest and use these materials in his publications. He noticed,
however, that a number of pages were excluded from the files, as was a
mysterious "envelope" mentioned in the case materials list. At the same
time, unofficial photocopies of the case parts started to circulate
among other enthusiastic researchers. (Wikipedia 2008)
3. A chance meeting between on a
train with a medical assistant at the accident site – Maria Ivanovna –
revealed that she recalled 11 bodies being discovered and not nine. Two
were hurriedly removed to a destination unknown to her.
4. Apparently the Dyatlov
Foundation has been established in Ekaterinburg, with the help of Ural
State Technical University and is led by Yuri Kuntsevitch (Юрий
Кунцевич), a close friend of Igor Dyatlov and a member of the search
team. We would very much like to make contact with them and would
appreciate any address available.
5. Evidence of metal fragments and
rocket parts indicate that the area had once been used for weapon
trials. However, this have may predate or post-date the Dyatlov pass
Incident.
Of the Highest Order of Complexity! The book that had to be rewritten three times.
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1990: Availability and Declassification.
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This was originally identified as a weapon part but assistance has revealed that it is part of a radar system .
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