Season 1: Episode 6, Has The Dyatlov Pass Incident been Solved?
- macabremattersoffi
- Dec 26, 2022
- 8 min read
WARNING: Images of the group's corpses are included in this blog post. Images may be disturbing to some viewers.
The group consisted of students and alumni from the Ural Polytechnic Institute. The group was led by 23 year old Igor Dyatlov (Игорь Алексеевич Дятлов). Other members of the group were 38 year old Semyon Zolotaryov (Семён (Александр) Алексеевич Золотарёв), 24 year old Alexander Kolevatov (Александр Сергеевич Колеватов), 23 year old Rustem Slobodin (Рустем Владимирович Слободин), 23 year old Nikolai Thibeaux-Brignolles (Николай Владимирович Тибо-Бриньоль), 23 year old Yuri Krivonischenko (Георгий (Юрий) Алексеевич Кривонищенко), 22 year old Zinaida Kolmogorova (Зинаида Алексеевна Колмогорова), 21 year old Yuri Doroshenko (Юрий Николаевич Дорошенко), 21 year old Yuri Yudin (Юрий Ефимович Юдин), and 20 year old Lyudamila Dubinina (Людмила Александровна Дубинина). They were all very experienced hikers, with all but Semyon Zolotaryov participating in the hike to achieve Grade 3 certification. With this certification the members would be able to teach hiking as Masters of the Sport. Zolotaryov already had his Grade 3 certification and was the only newcomer to the group. The plan for the group was to complete a hike through the Ural mountains to Otortan (Отортен). The entire trip would total to 300 kilometers, the requirement for Grade 3 certification.
Holmgren, R. (2019, February 22). THE SWEDISH-RUSSIAN DYATLOV EXPEDITION 2019. Dyatlov Pass. https://dyatlovpass.com/swedish-russian-expedition-2019
Name (Age), Found Clothing (taken in, taken out), Injuries & cause of death
Doroshenko (21), Found under cedar tree. Underwear, shirt, no shoes; Kolevatov was wearing his overalls; Igor was wearing a fur sleeveless vest which the case files say Yudin left to Kolevatov, but Yudin himself said in 2008 he gave to Doroshenko. Hypothermia
Krivonischenko (23) Found under cedar tree. Underwear, shirt, no shoes; Dubinina had a sweater that tested radioactive which could probably be his, according to Ivanov she tore a flap of his underpants to wrap her foot probably after his death, but this turn out to be her own blouse Thibeaux was wearing his wrist watch and possibly a sweater taken form him. Hypothermia
Doroshenko and Krivonishenko
Dyatlov (23) Found 300m away from cedar tree. Very lightly dressed, no shoes, he was wearing the knitted vest Yudin said in the case files he left to Kolevatov, but later said he gave to Doroshenko, both version exist. Hypothermia
Dyatlov
Kolmogorova (22) Found 630m away from the cedar tree. Better dressed than the previously found hikers. No footwear. Hypothermia
Kolmogorova
Zolotaryov (38) Found in ravine (75m) behind the cedar tree. Zolotaryov has Doroshenko's hat; camera on his neck, pair of quilted soft wadded boots without soles (burki) on his feet. Zolotaryov and Thibeaux were almost fully clothed and wearing some kind of footwear. Major chest fractures; missing eye balls
Kolevatov (24) Found in ravine (75m) behind the cedar tree. He is wearing Doroshenko's overalls; the waistband of his sweater and lower part of his ski trousers tested radioactive. Hypothermia; exposed skull bones
Kolevatov and Zolotaryov
Slobodin (23) Found 480m away from the cedar tree. Better dressed than the previously found hikers, one felt boot (valenka) on his right foot. Hypothermia, Fractured skull, multiple areas of edema and abrasions on his face and his arms
Slobodin
Dubinina (20) Found in ravine (75m) behind the cedar tree. Her foot was wrapped in a piece of Krivonishenko's underpants according to Ivanov, but it turns out to be a piece from her own blouse. She was wearing a brown sweater that tested radioactive and was most probably Krivonischenko's, but identification of the items on the last 4 bodies found in May was never made; Thibeaux is wearing her hat and coat, pair of gloves crumpled in the right pocket. Major chest fractures; missing tongue, eyes, part of the lips, as well as facial tissue and a fragment of skull bone.
Dubinina
Thibeaux-Brignolle (23) Found in ravine (75m) behind the cedar tree. Thibeaux, like Zolotaryov, was better dressed than the rest of the members of the group. On his feet he wore hand-knitted woolen socks and a pair of felt boots (valenki). He has Krivonischenko's wrist watch, possibly one of the sweaters is Krivonischenko's too, Lyuda's hat and coat. In the right pocket are crumpled pair of gloves that must be Lyuda's. Major skull damage - multiple fractures to the side of his skull that would have made him unable to move
Most likely Thibeaux-Brignolle
Timeline
1959
Jan 23 The group (10) takes train №45 from Sverdlovsk to the city of Serov. In the diary it says train №43 but there is no such train.
Jan 24 The group (10) arrives at Serov in the morning where Krivonischenko was detained for soliciting and singing out loud, and released, and a drunk accuses them of having stolen his vodka.
Jan 25 The group (10) arrives by train №81 in Ivdel and takes a bus GAZ-51 to Vizhay
Jan 26 A truck GAZ-63 takes the group to a logging community called District 41 (aka 41st district or quarter)
Jan 27 The group hires a sled for 24 km to North-2 mining settlement (abandoned)
Jan 28 Yuri Yudin goes back with the sled due to poor health (sciatica), the group now consist of 9 members they spend the night on the banks of Lozva river
Group saying goodbye to Yudin
Jan 29 The group on skis makes their way from Lozva to Auspiya river where they spend the night
Jan 30 The group pitches their tent on the banks of Auspiya river
Jan 31 The group tries to ascend the shortest way from Auspiya to Lozva river (now called Dyatlov pass) and goes back to spends the night on the banks of Auspiya river
Feb 1 The group makes the cache (labaz) to lighten their backpacks, they start late, go 500m off their planned route, cover 2 km and pitch their tent on the north slope of Kholat Syakhl
Feb 2 All members of Dyatlov group die in a mysterious way
Feb 12 The group was expected back in Vizhay
Feb 21 Search parties are on their way
Feb 26 Slobtsov and Sharavin find the tent, Prosecutor Vasiliy Tempalov opens an official investigation
Feb 27 Bodies of Doroshenko, Krivonischenko (by Sharavin and Koptelov), Dyatlov (mansi Kurikov group) and Kolmogorova (by Moiseev rescue dog) are found
Mar 2 The cache (labaz) is found by Slobtsov and Kurikov
Mar 4 Autopsy of Doroshenko, Krivonischenko, Dyatlov and Kolmogorova
Mar 5 Body of Slobodin is found by Karelin and soldiers from Lt. Potapov group. Akselrod notices the icy bed under the body.
Mar 8 Autopsy of Slobodin Mar 9 Doroshenko and Kolmogorova are buried in Mihaylovskoe cemetery, Krivonischenko is buried in Ivanovskoe Cemetery
Mar 10 Dyatlov and Slobodin are buried in Mihaylovskoe cemetery
Mar 17 Vladimir Korotaev is fired and Lev Ivanov is assigned as a lead investigator
May 5 Den and bodies of Dubinina, Kolevatov, Thibeaux-Brignolle and Zolotaryov are found (by Askinadzi)
May 9 Autopsy of Dubinina, Kolevatov and Thibeaux-Brignolle and Zolotaryov
May 12 Dubinina, Kolevatov and Thibeaux-Brignolle are buried in Mihaylovskoe cemetery, Zolotaryov is buried in Ivanovskoe cemetery
May 27 Radiation analysis report on clothes and tissues of Dubinina, Kolevatov, Thibeaux-Brignolle and Zolotaryov
May 28 Case closed
Official statement for closing the case given by Junior Counselor of Justice and Criminal Prosecutor of Sverdlovsk region, Lev Ivanov:
The deaths of the expedition members were due to a series of mistakes by Dyatlov. On 1 February he began the ascent to the summit at 3 PM, even though he knew about the difficulty of the terrain. Furthermore – and this was Dyatlov’s next mistake – he chose a line 500 m to the left of the planned pass that lies between Peak 1079 and Peak 880. So the group found themselves on the eastern slope of Peak 1079. They used what was left of the daylight to ascend to the summit in strong winds (which are typical for this area) and low temperatures of minus 25 degrees centigrade. Dyatlov found himself in bad conditions for the night, so he decided to pitch his tent on the slope of 1079 so as to start in the morning without adding the distance from the forest (~1 km) to the remaining trek of about 10 km to the summit.
Considering the absence of external injuries to the bodies or signs of a fight, the presence of all the valuables of the group, and also taking into account the conclusion of the medical examinations for the causes of the deaths of the hikers, it is concluded that the cause of their demise was an overwhelming force, which the hikers were not able to overcome.
2018
Apr 12 Exhumation of the body of Semyon Zolotaryov at Ivanovskoe Cemetery in Yekaterinburg
May 16 Russian Channel 1 airs DNA results of the remains of the exhumed body from Zolotaryov's grave not to have kinship with niece Tatyana Skulbeda (daughter of Semyon's sister)
Jul 16 Second DNA testing at the Russian Center of Forensic Expertise of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation of the person buried under the sign "Semyon Zolotaryov" matches the DNA of Tatyana Skulbeda (daughter of Semyon's sister)
Aug 31 Court’s decision from 8/31/2018 to refuse the application to reopen the case Court Decision Letter
Sep Prosecutor's office of the Sverdlovsk region initiated a new investigation.
2019
Mar 15 Prosecutor's office undergo expedition to Dyatlov Pass to test 3 theories - avalanche, snow slab and hurricane.
2020
Jan 22 Yury Chaika was fired. New Prosecutor General of Russia is appointed Igor Krasnov.
Jul 11 Andrey Kuryakov announces the conclusion of the new investigation - it was an avalanche.
Aug 10 Krasnov reprimanded Kuryakov. The investigation was warned of incomplete official compliance. This is the maximum possible punishment before dismissal.
Theories
There are multiple theories associated with the Dyatlov Group. These theories range from the more probable, a romantic rivalry within the group, to the outlandish, such as an alien invasion. Other common theories involve Soviet military weapon testing, an attack from the native mansi tribe, and even a Yeti attack.
Possible Yeti photographed by Dyatlov Group
For sake of this podcast, we focused on two theories: The Frozen Theory and the Russian-Swedish Theory. The Frozen Theory was named after the animation programs used to test the theory were the same programs used for creating Disney's Frozen. Below is a diagram associated with the "slab avalanche" theory that Gaume and Puzrin were putting out.
My personal issues with this theory as well as the positives and negatives associated with this theory can be heard in our podcast episode.
The next theory is the Swedish-Russian Theory put out by Richard Holmgren and Andreas Liljegren. Below are infographics made by Kalee that illustrate the theory.
To hear more discussion on the theory please listen to our episode or visit Holmgren's blog.
Good Visual: Dyatlov Pass Expedition 2019
The major reason for this discussion, other than to bring attention to two credible theories, is to remember the group from Dyatlov Pass.
Igor Dyatlov was the group's leader. He was described as highly intelligent and meticulous. He was very well-trusted throughout all of Ural Polytech.
Yuri Doroshenko was 180 cm tall. He was considered impulsive and brave.
Yuri Krivonishchenko was considered a joker, musician, and master storyteller. He studied construction and hydraulics at Ural Polytech.
Zinaida "Zina" Kolmogorova was described as lively and bright. She was outgoing and attractive. Many of the male hikers admitted in their journals to having a crush on her.
Rusem Slobodin was also a musician, always carrying a mandolin with him. He received his degree from Ural Polytech in mechanical engineering.
Alexander Kolevatov was a nuclear physics student at Ural Polytech. He had an internship where he worked in labs on campus. Alexander was known for his imposing physique but was described as methodical and private. He enjoyed smoking a pipe.
Nikolai Thibeaux-Brignolles was considered the most humorous of the group and helped keep spirits high. He was serious and well-read.
Lyudmila Dubinina was the youngest of the group. She was a fervent communist and very outspoken. She was described as being highly principled and serious. To counteract her serious nature, she was also described as extremely witty and helped with keeping the group's moral high.
Semyon Zolotaryov was the oldest member of the group. He fought in World War II. Already having his Grade 3 cert, the group trusted his expertise and went to him often for advise.
References
Ishak, N. (2022, July 25). Inside The Final Days Of The Hikers From The Dyatlov Pass Incident. All That’s Interesting. https://allthatsinteresting.com/dyatlov-pass-photos#34
Holmgren, R. (2019, February 22). THE SWEDISH-RUSSIAN DYATLOV EXPEDITION 2019. Dyatlov Pass. https://dyatlovpass.com/swedish-russian-expedition-2019
Holmgren, R. (2019, February 22). The Swedish-Russian Dyatlov Pass Expedition 2019. ARCDOC Arkeologisk Dokumentation. https://www.arcdoc.se/se/blogg/dyatlov-expedition-new-theory-41712449
Gaume, J., A. Puzrin. (2021, January 28). Mechanisms of slab avalanche release and impact in the Dyatlov Pass incident in 1959. Communications Earth and Environment.
Multiple. (2022, December 7) Dyatlov Pass Incident. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyatlov_Pass_incident#cite_note-33
Solly, M. (2021, January 29). Have Scientists Finally Unraveled the 60-Year Mystery Surrounding Nine Russian Hikers’ Deaths? Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-may-have-finally-unraveled-mystery-dyatlov-pass-incident-180976886/
Ouellette, J. (2022, March 31). Confirmed: Avalanche is Likeliest Explanation for Tragic Dyatlov Pass Incident. ARS Technica. https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/03/confirmed-avalanche-is-likeliest-explanation-for-tragic-dyatlov-pass-incident/
Unknown. (n.d.) Katabatic Winds. Weather Online. https://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/wxfacts/Katabatic-winds.htm
Unknown. (n.d.) Understanding Katabatic Winds. Larsen Marine. https://larsenmarine.com/understanding-katabatic-wind/#:~:text=While%20most%20katabatic%20winds%20stay,surrounding%20air%20and%20becomes%20denser.
Woodward, A. (2021, February 27). Decades ago, 9 Russian hikers mysteriously fled their tent and froze to death. A new study sheds light on the cold case. Insider.
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