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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 them into the snow in temperatures of approximately -30 degrees Celsius. 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 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. After the event the area, now known as Dyatlov Pass, was immediately sealed off by the authorities and access forbidden for at least three years.
This is a little known mystery truly deserves much more attention as it is well documented, was formally investigated and considered important enough to have the investigation reports classified “Top Secret” by the Russian (Soviet) authorities for over thirty years. The information has not yet been fully released.
The Aquiziam team has done its best to piece together the story from the quite limited information available – some of it in Russian. This is what seems to have happened …
THE SKI TEAM
The ski team was made up of eight men and two women who were mostly students or graduates from the Ural Polytechnic Institute located in (Y)Ekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, and now renamed the Yeltsin Ural State Technical University. The University has a strong tradition of focusing on the sciences and even specializing in Military Sciences. It is worth noting that during the Second World War (1939 – 1945) the region became a centre of military equipment production safe from the German forces that had occupied Western Russia and at least some of that development was experimental in nature. At least two separate sources indicate that after the war, the University retained very close links with the military industries, mostly by training a significant number of military engineers. This strong connection to the armed forces may have a significant link to the events that ensued.
Ski Team Members |
Photographs |
Order Found |
Found |
Wearing |
Injuries |
Cause of Death |
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Georgyi Krivonischenko (24)
(Георгий Кривонищенко)
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26 Feb 1959
Found 1st |
Forest edge Under pine tree |
Bare foot (socks) & wearing only underclothes |
None recorded as unusual |
Hypothermia |
Yuri Doroshenko (21)
(Юрий Дорошенко)
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26 Feb 1959
Found 1st |
Forest edge Under pine tree |
Bare foot (socks) & wearing only underclothes |
None recorded as unusual |
Hypothermia |
Igor Dyatlov (23)
(Игорь Дятлов)
Group's Leader
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26 Feb 1959
Found 2nd |
Between Forest and camp site |
Not known |
None recorded as unusual |
Hypothermia |
Zinaida Kolmogorova (22)
(Зинаида Колмогорова)
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26 Feb 1959
Found 2nd |
Between Forest and camp site |
Not known |
None recorded as unusual |
Hypothermia |
Rustem Slobodin (23)
(Рустем Слободин) |
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26 Feb 1959
Found 2nd |
Between Forest and camp site |
Not known |
Minor skull fracture |
Hypothermia |
Nicolas Thibeaux-Brignollel (24)
(Николай Тибо-Бриньоль)
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4 May 1959
Found 3rd |
Forest Ravine 75m from main pine Tree |
Better dressed |
Severely crushed skull |
Fatal Injuries & Hypothermia |
Lyudmila Dubinina (21)
(Людмила Дубинина)
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4 May 1959
Found 3rd |
Forest Ravine 75m from main pine Tree |
Better dressed – also wearing Krivonischenko’s pants as shoes |
Missing Tongue and oral cavity, Many broken Ribs |
Fatal Injuries & Hypothermia
(Trace Radiation) |
Alexander Zolotarev (37)
(Александр Золотарев) |
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4 May 1959
Found 3rd |
Forest Ravine 75m from main pine Tree |
Better dressed – also wearing Dubinina’s coat and hat |
Many broken Ribs |
Fatal Injuries & Hypothermia
(Trace Radiation) |
Alexander Kolevatov (25)
(Александр Колеватов)
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4 May 1959
Found 3rd |
Forest Ravine 75m from main pine Tree |
Not known |
None recorded as unusual |
Hypothermia |
Yuri Yudin
(Юрий Юдин)
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N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Fell ill and returned home before the event |
Survived |
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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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The group catch a lift with a truck that takes them to Vizhay where they stay the night. |
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Towards the evening of the 2nd of February they find themselves on the slopes of Kholat-Syakhl |
PURPOSE OF THE TRIP
According to the comments made by Yuri Yudin and Yuri Yarovoi (a journalist who was the photographer for the original rescue mission) ski hikes of this type were common in Russia at this time. It was a chance for people to get away from the sometimes dreary lives of post war Russia and Communism and experience adventure with good friends.
The stated purpose of this particular trip was to reach the mountain “Gora Otorten”. The hiking / skiing component of the expedition was classed as a Category 3 – the most difficult.
THE EVENT TIMELINE
This timeline has been put together based on available evidence, life expectancies after injury, passing-on of clothes, travel times, extreme conditions survival estimates and best probabilities. It was put together by ourselves when we could not find one. 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 |
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. |
26 January 1959 |
Morning |
The group catch a lift with a truck that takes them to Vizhay where they stay the night. |
27 January 1959 |
Unknown |
The group starts their march towards “Gora Otorten” (map reference: ) from Vizhay. |
28 January 1959 |
Unknown |
Yury Yudin becomes ill and turns back to Vizhay. The others continue their trek towards Gora Otorten by following the valley and river. |
31 January 1959 |
Unknown |
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. |
1 February 1959 |
Please Help! |
This day is a mystery! We need the diaries. |
2 February 1959 |
Morning |
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. (Still, and this is important, it does not take a full day to cover this distance so until we have direct access to the transcripts of the diaries this is an anomaly.) |
2 February 1959 |
5.00pm |
There are several accounts that the group became lost due to worsening weather and so deviated to the East. (This is very questionable.) However towards 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 |
2 February 1959 |
6.00pm – 7.00pm |
The group (cook) and eat a meal. |
2 February 1959 |
7.00pm – 10.00pm |
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 -30 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. |
2 February 1959 |
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 tents is bizarre in itself? These were not big tents. 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. |
2 February 1959 |
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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2 February 1959 |
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 |
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. |
3 February 1959 |
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. |
3 February 1959 |
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. |
3 February 1959 |
Estimated:
12.45pm – 1.45am |
Alexander Zolotarev dies from a combination of chest injuries and hypothermia. |
3 February 1959 |
Estimated:
1.30am – 2.45am |
Alexander Kolevatov, frozen, afraid, alone and exhausted drifts off to sleep – he will never awake. |
Post event – date and time unknown |
Unknown |
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. |
20 February 1959 |
Unknown |
Relatives of the missing skiers pressure the management of the Institute into dispatching a search and rescue party. |
21-25 February 1959 |
Unknown |
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. |
26 February 1959 |
Unknown |
The searchers find the abandoned camp on 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. |
4 May 1959 |
Unknown |
Second group is found buried in a ravine under 4 metres of snow. |
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.
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At least one member of the Dyatlov Pass Accident ski team was armed with a rifle! |
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All nine people slept in one large tent sewn together from two smaller ones.
(Not the final camp site) |
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These people were having fun!
(Not the final Campsite) |
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The terrain of the 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! |
(This is apparently the work of Vadim Chernobrov 1999)
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:
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.
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Of the Highest Order of Complexity! The book that had to be rewritten three times. |
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1990: Availability and Declassification.
(Sort of) |
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Weapons parts found on the mountain although it is likely that they are from a time period later than the "accident" . |
(C) Copyright Disclaimer
It is our understanding that all images used on this page are, by the nature of their wide distribution and their release as evidence from an official investigation, now in the public domain. However, if this is not the case and they remain the property of a legitimate owner, we will, on request and on proof of copyright remove them from this website. However, we would urge that should such an owner exist that they will permit the use of these images as this story deserves to be told!
The Dyatlov Pass Accident / Event Continues on Page 2 |
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