Dyatlov Pass Incident

The Dyatlov Pass Incident refers to the mysterious deaths of nine hikers in the Ural Mountains, in Northern Russia. The case has attracted attention because of the unusual circumstances of the deaths. The hikers seemed to have cut their way out of their own tents and fled their camp in bare feet. This was despite temperatures of down to -35 C (-31 F).

Taken by the hikers themselves, this picture shows them setting up camp 

The hikers had set out to scale Mt. Ortorten on February 2 but had failed to return after their ten day timeline. Friends and family demanded a search and eventually a military search was sent out to find them. On February 26 the investigators discovered the camp and found that the hikers' tents had been cut open from the inside.

The camp discovered by the search team

The investigators also found tracks that left from the camp and noted that the tracks were made by bare-footed or sock-footed people. The first two bodies were found at the edge of a forest only dressed in their underwear. Another three bodies were later found between the forest and the camp. It took another two months to find the final four bodies which were further into the woods in a ravine. These final four bodies seemed to be wearing clothes that had once belonged to the other hikers.

Discovery of the final four bodies

An investigation immediately started in February but concluded that the hikers had simply died of hypothermia. In May however the discovery of the final four bodies threw some doubt over the findings. Three of these bodies had been subject to major blunt force trauma which was determined to be the cause of death. The injuries were noted to be of such force as to be compared to that of a car crash. Some showed no signs of obvious external wounds and were actually consistent with being crushed at high temperature. The bodies were also found to be discoloured and that clothing belonging to some of the hikers was subject to high doses of radiation. One was also missing her tongue.

The investigation was immediately secured by the russian military and any outside involvement was discontinued

A lot of speculation remains about the circumstances of the deaths:

• No indication of outside involvement in the deaths
• All evidence shows that the victims left the camp of their own accord
• Some of the victims were only partially clothed but showed no signs of struggle 
• Three of the victims died from injuries and the remaining six from hpothermia
• Injuries were consistent with massive blunt force trauma
• One of the bodies is missing a tongue
• Some clothes had been removed from the bodies a placed hanging on a nearby tree
• Other clothing not belonging to the expedition was found near the bodies
• The Russian military was launching R-7 intercontinental missiles which were launched on a flight path over the Dyatlov Pass. Various glowing spheres were witnessed in February over the mountain
• Some details of the case which were recorded have never been released and some have gone 'missing'
• A camera belonging to the group has never been found
• One of the victims had a camera poised to take photographs. What was so important that he left shelter to take a picture