The Criminals/Former Inmates theory in the Dyatlov Pass Incident posits that the nine hikers who died in the Ural Mountains in February 1959 were attacked by escaped prisoners or former inmates, possibly ex-soldiers or officers wrongfully convicted under Stalin’s regime. This hypothesis emerged due to the mysterious and violent nature of the hikers’ deaths, combined with the historical context of the Soviet Union’s Gulag system and the remote Siberian setting.
In January 1959, a group of nine experienced hikers from the Ural Polytechnical Institute, led by 23-year-old Igor Dyatlov, embarked on a skiing expedition to reach Otorten Mountain in the northern Ural Mountains. On the night of February 1–2, 1959, the group pitched their tent on the slope of Kholat Syakhl (meaning "Dead Mountain" in the local Mansi language). Something catastrophic occurred, causing the hikers to cut their tent from the inside and flee into the freezing night, poorly dressed and without shoes. Their bodies were later found scattered across the area, some with severe injuries, including chest fractures and skull trauma, and one missing her tongue and eyes. The official Soviet investigation concluded that the deaths were caused by a “compelling natural force,” but the lack of clarity fueled decades of speculation and alternative theories, including the Criminals/Former Inmates hypothesis.
The Criminals/Former Inmates theory suggests that the hikers encountered a group of escaped prisoners or former Gulag inmates living in the remote Siberian wilderness. These individuals, possibly ex-soldiers or officers convicted under Stalin’s infamous Article 58 (anti-Soviet activities), may have used their military training to survive in the harsh environment after escaping from nearby labor camps. According to the theory, the inmates, fearing discovery by the hikers, attacked and killed them to eliminate witnesses who could report their presence to authorities. The violent injuries, the chaotic scene, and the remote location are cited as supporting this scenario.
The Gulag System in Siberia:
In the 1950s, Siberia was a hub for
the Soviet Union’s Gulag system, with numerous forced-labor camps
housing political prisoners, criminals, and former soldiers. Many camps
were located in the Ural region, including near Ivdel, close to the
Dyatlov Pass.
After Stalin’s death in 1953, some prisoners were
released, but others escaped or were left in limbo, particularly those
convicted under Article 58 for “crimes against the state.” These
individuals often faced societal stigma and had little incentive to
return to Soviet society, potentially leading them to live off the land
in remote areas.
Escaped prisoners were known to form small,
survivalist groups, relying on their skills (especially if they were
former military personnel) to evade capture.
Military and
Survival Skills:
The theory suggests that former soldiers or
officers, trained in combat and survival, could have been living in the
wilderness for years. Their expertise could explain the precise and
powerful injuries inflicted on some hikers, such as the chest fractures
likened to car crash injuries, which coroner Boris Vozrozhdenny stated
could not have been caused by human hands due to their force and lack of
soft tissue damage.
The attackers’ familiarity with the terrain could
also explain why no additional footprints (beyond the hikers’) were
found, as they may have covered their tracks or used the harsh weather
to their advantage.
Motive for Attack:
The theory posits that
the inmates viewed the hikers as a threat. In the Soviet Union, citizens
were often encouraged to report suspicious activity, and the hikers, as
young, educated students, might have been perceived as likely to alert
authorities if they encountered fugitives.
Killing the hikers would
ensure the inmates’ continued freedom, especially in a region where
recapture could mean harsh punishment or execution.
Violent Injuries:
Some hikers sustained severe trauma, including
Lyudmila Dubinina’s missing tongue and eyes, Nikolay
Thibeaux-Brignolle’s fractured skull, and chest fractures in Dubinina
and Semyon Zolotaryov. These injuries suggested a violent encounter,
potentially with individuals capable of inflicting significant force.
The coroner’s report noted that the injuries were inconsistent with
human-inflicted blows due to their extreme force, but proponents of the
theory argue that trained ex-soldiers could have used weapons or
techniques to cause such damage.
The Chaotic Scene:
The tent
was cut open from the inside, suggesting the hikers fled in panic,
possibly after hearing or seeing attackers. Footprints showed they ran
in different directions, which could indicate an attempt to escape a
coordinated assault.
The hikers’ failure to regroup or return to the
tent might suggest they were being pursued or feared immediate danger.
Missing Evidence and Artifacts:
A tin can, possibly from
condensed milk dated 1958, was found buried near a cedar tree close to
the hikers’ bodies, suggesting recent human activity in the area. While
it could belong to the hikers, it might also indicate the presence of
others, such as fugitives scavenging supplies.
Some reports mention a
military-style cloth or item that disappeared from evidence, potentially
linked to former soldiers or inmates.
Soviet Secrecy:
The
Soviet authorities’ suppression of case details, including classifying
files until the 1970s and ordering investigators like Lev Ivanov to
dismiss reports of “flying spheres,” fuels suspicion of a cover-up.
Evgeny Okishev, a deputy prosecutor, noted unusual interference from
Moscow, including orders to shut down the investigation prematurely,
which could suggest efforts to conceal a sensitive incident involving
escaped prisoners.
Lack of Footprints or Direct Evidence:
Search parties found only
the hikers’ footprints in the snow, with no evidence of additional
tracks from attackers. Harsh weather could have erased tracks, but the
absence of physical evidence weakens the theory.
No weapons, tools,
or other signs of a struggle (e.g., blood or torn clothing from a fight)
were documented at the scene.
Coroner’s Findings:
Coroner
Boris Vozrozhdenny stated that the severe injuries (e.g., chest
fractures) lacked soft tissue damage, which is atypical for
human-inflicted blows, even by trained individuals. This led some to
argue that a natural force, like an avalanche, was more likely.
The
missing tongue and eyes in Lyudmila Dubinina could be attributed to
natural processes, such as scavenging animals or decomposition, rather
than deliberate mutilation.
Behavior of the Hikers:
The hikers
fled without shoes or adequate clothing, which seems extreme for an
encounter with humans. If attacked, they might have attempted to
negotiate or fight back, especially since some were physically fit and
trained in survival. Instead, their actions suggest a sudden,
overwhelming panic.
The group’s diaries and photos show no signs of
prior concern about being followed or encountering others, which might
be expected if they had crossed paths with suspicious individuals
earlier.
Alternative Explanations:
The slab avalanche theory,
supported by Swiss researchers Alexander Puzrin and Johan Gaume in 2021,
provides a scientific explanation for the injuries and chaotic scene.
They argue a small slab avalanche could have crushed the tent, causing
injuries and prompting the hikers to flee.
Katabatic winds, proposed
by a 2019 Swedish-Russian expedition, suggest a violent windstorm
disoriented the hikers, leading to their deaths from hypothermia and
injuries.
Paradoxical undressing, a phenomenon where hypothermic
individuals remove clothing due to feeling overheated, explains the
state of undress, reducing the need to invoke attackers.
Logistical Challenges:
Escaped inmates surviving in the Ural
wilderness during a harsh winter would face extreme difficulties,
including finding food and shelter. The remote location of Kholat
Syakhl, far from known Gulag camps, makes it less likely for fugitives
to be present.
Coordinating an attack without leaving traces,
especially in deep snow, would require exceptional skill and planning,
which seems improbable for a group of desperate escapees.
The Criminals/Former Inmates theory is compelling because it aligns
with the violent injuries and the Soviet Union’s secretive handling of
the case, which fueled conspiracy theories. The Gulag system’s
prevalence in Siberia and the possibility of escaped prisoners add
historical plausibility. However, the lack of direct evidence, such as
additional footprints or signs of a struggle, undermines the hypothesis.
The severe injuries, while suggestive of violence, are better explained
by natural phenomena like a slab avalanche, which accounts for the force
and lack of soft tissue damage.
The theory also reflects the
cultural and historical anxieties of the Soviet era, where fear of state
surveillance, betrayal, and hidden enemies was pervasive. The idea of
rogue ex-soldiers or prisoners attacking innocent students taps into
these fears, making it a popular narrative in post-Soviet discussions
when censorship eased. However, scientific advancements, such as the
2021 avalanche model, have shifted focus toward natural explanations,
reducing the theory’s prominence among researchers.
The Criminals/Former Inmates theory has contributed to the Dyatlov Pass Incident’s status as a cultural phenomenon, inspiring books, documentaries, and fictional works like the 2013 film Devil’s Pass, which explores a conspiracy-laden version of the event. Russian investigative journalist Svetlana Oss suggested a variation involving local hunters under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms, highlighting how human-attack theories proliferate due to the case’s unanswered questions. The theory persists in public imagination because it offers a human antagonist, making the tragedy feel more tangible than abstract natural forces.