[rmsaksida]

Another event that took place in Russia and led to a variety of crackpot theories: the Dyatlov Pass incident. [0]

> The incident involved a group of nine experienced ski hikers from the Ural Polytechnical Institute who had set up camp for the night on the slopes of Kholat Syakhl. Investigators later determined that the skiers had torn their tents from the inside out. They fled the campsite inadequately dressed, some of them barefoot, under heavy snowfall and at temperatures below freezing. Six victims were determined to have died from hypothermia, while others showed signs of trauma. One victim had a fractured skull and another was found with brain damage without any sign of distress to the skull. Additionally, one woman's tongue was missing.

> Soviet authorities determined that an "unknown compelling force" had caused the deaths. Access to the region was consequently blocked for hikers and adventurers for three years after the incident. Due to the lack of survivors, the chronology of events remains uncertain.

> Several explanations have been put forward, including an avalanche, infrasound-induced panic, and a military accident. Sensationalist hypotheses include a hostile encounter with a yeti or other unknown creature.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyatlov_Pass_incident

[ivan_gammel]

Recent report about this case says that local police finally found an evidence that this was a murder. A witness charged in illegal possession of a gun confessed, that this gun belonged to a Mansi hunter, which participated in that massacre. The Dyatlov group accidentally discovered a holy place of Mansi tribe and took something from there. The Mansi have found that and attempted to return their possessions.

https://www.znak.com/2016-01-18/v_dele_o_gibeli_gruppy_dyatl...

[frankzinger]

Recently on HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11828346

[Spooky23]

Perhaps the Soviets were testing a chemical agent? The US military was testing BZ and other substances at that time.

[Houshalter]

The missing tongue is the weirdest part. Otherwise it could be explained by hypothermia. Or, possibly, drugs.

[imaginenore]

The missing tongue is not the weirdest part. Animals could have eaten it.

Every hypothesis about this event that made any sense involves a physical attack by a group of people, likely armed. The only two groups that would mass murder people just not to be found out are 1) foreign military or 2) escaped murderers.

[somethingsimple]

> Otherwise it could be explained by hypothermia. Or, possibly, drugs.

Except for the radiation. To me that's what makes it the weirdest.

[ivan_gammel]

It can be explained by ritual killing.

[pgt]

Reads like an Erowid trip report. Too many mushrooms/acid possibly combined with some traumatic event.