CHOOSE A CASE FILE


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

WHAT IS THE DYATLOV PASS INCIDENT?

The Dytalov Pass incident took place in the Ural Mountains of Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, between January 27 and February 2, 1959. Ten students from the Ural Polytechnical Institute set out on an expedition to reach Mount Otorten in the Northern Urals as part of earning a grade III hiking certification. On January 28, one member, Yuri Yudin, turned back due to health concerns. The remaining group, led by Igor Dyatlov, continued their journey and on February 1, they were forced to stop near a mountainn pass, setting up camp on the slope of Kholat Syakhl.

February 1 & 2, 1959

Nine hikers were found dead across the slope, suffering from a range of injuries including cuts, bruises, and fractured bones. Although the exact sequence of events that led to their untimely fate is unclear thus far, there are various speculations and theories. Yuri Doroshenko and Yuri krivonischenko were the first to be found by searches on February 26, next to a large pine tree and what remained of a small fire. Their autopsies signified hypothermia as their cause of death. Igor Dyatlov, Zinaida Kolmogorova, and Rustem Slobodin were found shortly thereafter, between the pine and the camp, and died due to hypothermia. After a little more than two months, the remains of the last four hikers were found: Lyudmila Dubinina, Aleksandr Kolevatov, Nikolay Thibeaux-Brignolle, and Semyon Zolotaryov, inside a snow Ravine. It is assumed they were the last to perish, decked warmly in the clothes of the first bodies discovered.


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

THE RAVINE

On May 5th, 1959, four bodies were discovered only a few 75 meters (246 ft) from the cedar tree where the first bodies were located and about 1,500 (4,921 ft) meters from the tent. They were identified as Lyudmila Dubinina, Aleksander Kolevatov, Nikolay Thibeaux-Brignolle and Semyon Zolotaryov. They had presented peculiar injuries before their deaths, distinguishing them from the rest of the group who had mostly succumbed to hypothermia.


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

CASE FILE #1

Lyudmila Dubinina

NAME: Lyudmila Aleksandrovna Dubinina
DATE OF BIRTH: 5/12/1938
AGE: 20
SEX: Female
CITY, PROVINCE, ETC.: Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia

background:

Lyudmila (Lyuda) Dubinina was born in Kegostrov near Arkhangelsk, USSR. Her mother ran a kindergarten while her father was the director of a local sawmill. Eventually, the Dubinin family moved to Krasnogorsk. Lyuda excelled in academics and sports. In 1953, they relocated to Sverdlovsk, where Lyuda completed high school and enrolled at the Ural Polytechnic Institute in 1955 to study urban construction. She enjoyed participating in the institute's sports club, singing, and taking pictures. Although Lyuda was the youngest of the Dyatlov group, she is commemorated as a wise and thoughtful leader.


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

AUTOPSY REPORT OF LYUDMILA DUBININA

ageracesexeyeshair
20whiteFbrownblonde

Injuries

1. Missing soft tissue around eyes, eyebrows, and nose bridge
2. Partial exposure of left cheek
3. Damaged tissues around left temporal bone (4x4 cm)
4. eyeballs are missing
5. Broken and flattened nose cartilage
6. Upper lip soft tissue is missing, exposed upper jaw and teeth
7. Tongue is missing
8. Right ribs (2,3,4,5) are broken with visible fracture lines
9. Left ribs (2,3,4,5,6,7) are broken with visible fracture lines
10. Hemorrhage in the heart's right atrium
11. Bruise in middle left thigh (10x5 cm)

probable cause of deathmanner of death
internal bleeding from chest traumaViolent

CONCLUSION OF AUTOPSY

Lyudmila's cause of death is ruled as hemorrhaging into the right ventricle, with internal bleeding into the thoracic cavity. The damage is likely caused during life by the impact of a great force causing lethal trauma to her chest.

Report from V.A. Vozrozhdenniy


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

ITEMS BELONGING TO LYUDMILA DUBININA

1. Knitted under helmet cap
2. woolen taupe sweater
3. Beige wool sweater
4. Checkered color shirt
5. Yellow short-sleeved T-shirt
6. White cotton bra
7. Cotton pants with a belt on an elastic band (they are in torn condition and burnt in some areas)
8. Light brown cotton stockings
9. Gray belt with garterbands
10. Satin briefs (men's)
11. Lower left leg and foot area is wraapped in a gray woolen burnt flap from a sweater and a brown woolen sock that is torn
12. Torn blue cotton socks and gray wool socks are worn on both legs


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

CASE FILE #2

Aleksander Kolevatov

NAME: Aleksander Kolevatov
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/16/1934
AGE: 24
SEX: male
CITY, PROVINCE, ETC.: Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia

background:

Aleksandr Kolevatov was born the only boy of six children on November 16, 1934, in Sverdlovsk. His childhood was characterized by poor health and upheaval--his family relocated to Tavda after his father was set in a Gulag administration during Stalin's purges and they eventually fell into poverty subsequent to his father's peculiar death. However, Aleksandr sought to improve his academic performance. His involvement in the Komsomol (Young Communist League) boosted his success. He was selected to work at a secret nuclear institute in Moscow, but for unknown reasons he transferred back to Sverdlovsk to continue his studies as a fourth-year physics major at the UPI university. Aleksandr, heavily involved in hiking and sports, was known for his quiet resilience and intelligence amongst his peers.


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

AUTOPSY REPORT OF ALEKSANDER KOLEVATOV

ageracesexeyeshair
24whiteMbluebrown

Injuries

1. Partial missing soft tissue around eyes exposing skull bones
2. Nose flattened and compressed
3. Open wound behind right ear (3x1.5 cm)
4. Neck has become deformed
5. Bleeding in the underlying tissues of the left knee
6. Skin on the fingers and feet are soft and whitened, likely due to wet environment
7. Skin colored a greyish-green with a hint of purple

probable cause of deathmanner of death
HypothermiaViolent

CONCLUSION OF AUTOPSY

Kolevatov's cause of death is thought to be the result of "low temperature." Vozrozhdenniy concludes that defects of the soft tissue and skin appearance are the result of the body being in water for a prolonged period of time post-death.

Report from V.A. Vozrozhdenniy


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

ITEMS BELONGING TO ALEKSANDER KOLEVATOV

1. Burnt ski jacket with a torn zipper
2. Brown fleece knitted sweater
3. Worn gray sweater
4. Blue-red-black patterned cotton checkered shirt
5. Pale gray worn velvet undershirt
6. Canvas khaki overalls with elasticated straps
7. Teared trousers with metal buckles
8. Ski trousers with side buckles
9. Pale gray underpants
10. Blue satin briefs
11. White dirty woolen socks with burnt areas
12. Brown cotton socks on the right leg
13. Three brown cotton socks on the left leg, a gauze bandage underneath on the ankle joint


Found in the pockets of the checkered shirt
14. Safety pin fastening pocket
15. Key from a door lock
16. Piece of brown paper
17. Packaging from the Codeine with Soda


Found in trouser pockets
18. Box of matches (soaked)
19. Handkerchief


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

CASE FILE #3

Nikolay Thibeaux-Brignolle

NAME: Nikolay Thibeaux-Brignolle
DATE OF BIRTH: 6/5/1935
AGE: 23
SEX: male
CITY, PROVINCE, ETC.: Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia

background:

Nikolay (Kolya, Tibo) Vladimirovich Thibeaux-Brignolle was born in Osinniki on June 5, 1935. His father worked as a manager at the Revda Mining Region but was arrested for alleged claims of his involvement in a factious Urals Industrial Party 4 years before Kolya's birth. In 1946, the family moved from Osinniki to Komerovo. Kolya would graduate from school in 1953. Then, he was admitted to the Department of Construction of the Ural Polytechnic Institute until his graduation in 1958. Nikolay was a renowned member of the UPI hiking club, taking part in five hikes and leading one, and was prominently noted for his friendliness and humor.


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

AUTOPSY REPORT OF NIKOLAY THIBEAUX-BRIGNOLLE

ageracesexeyeshair
23whiteMbrownbrown

Injuries

1. Various fractures to the temporal bone extending to the frontal and sphenoid bones
2. Bruise on the left side of the upper lip
3. Hemorrhage on the lower forearm (10x12 cm)

probable cause of deathmanner of death
Fatal skull injuryViolent

CONCLUSION OF AUTOPSY

Nikolay's death was ruled to be the result of a "closed comminuted pressure fracture" to the cranium and a large amount of bleeding under the meninges and brain matter whilst exposed to low temperature. The fracture aforementioned is believed to be the cause of a "great force."

Report from V.A. Vozrozhdenniy


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

ITEMS BELONGING TO NIKOLAY THIBEAUX-BRIGNOLLE

1. Woolen knitted green sports cap tightly wrapped around the head
2. Khaki canvas tarpaulin fur hat with drawstring
3. Inside out and worn sweater
4. Blue knitted shirt in worn condition with oval tears to the right and bottom
5. Cloth padded blue trousers with a leather belt
6. Gray felt boots in slightly new condition
7. White woolen knitted socks, and a brown woolen sock are crumpled on the feet inside felt boots
8. Blue cotton sports pants
9. Black satin briefsWatches on left hand
10. "Sportivnye" (belonging to Krivonischenko), stopped at 8:14:24
11. "Pobeda," stopped at 8:39Inside jacket pockets
12. Woolen gloves
13. Metal coins
14. Two pieces of paper which have been folded
15. hairbrushInside pants pockets
16. White button
17. Metal chain from a wall clock


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

CASE FILE #4

Semyon Alekseevich Zolotaryov

NAME: Semyon Alekseevich Zolotaryov
DATE OF BIRTH: 2/2/1921
AGE: 38
SEX: male
CITY, PROVINCE, ETC.: Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia

background:

Semyon (Sasha) Alekseevich Zolotaryov was born in 1921 in Udobnaya, North Caucasus, to a family of medical workers. He served in the Soviet Armed Forces from 1941 to 1946 during the second world war, earning various awards and a Komsomol position. Semyon studied physical education and graduated in 1951 from the Minsk Institute due to postwar reductions despite his desire to advance his military career. He later worked as a tourism instructor at the Kourovka tour base. Semyon's involvement in the Dyatlov group is noteworthy, as he joined the group shortly before the trek. It is also notable Semyon's distinctive tattoos, in which depict "mysterious" symbols and miliatry camaraderie markings, and the ambiguity surrounding his birth date.


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

AUTOPSY REPORT OF SEMYON ZOLOTARYOV

ageracesexeyeshair
38whiteMbrownbrown

Injuries

1. Eyeballs are missing
2. Soft tissues around left eyebrow are missing and bone is exposed (7x6 cm)
3. Open wound and exposed bone on the right side of the skull (8x6 cm)
4. Broken ribs on the right side (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) with two fracture lines

probable cause of deathmanner of death
Severe chest traumaViolent

CONCLUSION OF AUTOPSY

Semyon's death is thought to be due to the various fractures present on the right ribs and the internal hemorrhaging to the pleural cavity while being exposed to low temperatures. Vozrozhdenniy believes that the fractures and the hemorrhaging are the effect of a "high-power" blow to the chest. The damage of the head's soft tissues and the skin texture are the result of postmortem changes as his body was discovered in water.

Report from V.A. Vozrozhdenniy


Maps   background   scene information   other   home

ITEMS BELONGING TO SEMYON ZOLOTARYOV

1. Black fur leather hat with ear flaps
2. Red and striped woolen knitted hat
3. Worn brown and blue checkered woolen scarf with open pin
4. Tourist mask made of baize and green tarpaulin on the straps
5. Well-worn fur vest on a black sheepskin
6. Brown, buttoned sport jacket
7. Fairly worn black cotton sweater
8. Cotton blue sports sleeved T-shirt
9. Khaki canvas overalls pants with two patch pockets
10. Ripped button-down blue ski pants
11. Similar pants with elastic bands
12. Black quilted boots without soles
13. Brown wool socks on both legs
14. Gray cotton swimming trunks worn inside out
15. Blue satin briefsInside trouser pockets
16. Onion
17. Coins
18. Hairbrush
19. Ball of thread
20. Folded newspaper
21. Pieces of paper22. Compass worn like a wristwatch on the left hand