Nearly seven decades after the infamous Dyatlov Pass incident, family members of the nine hikers who died in 1959 are demanding a fresh criminal inquiry and the exhumation of the bodies. Lawyer Yevgeny Chernousov, representing Dyatlov's sister Tatyana Perminova and other relatives, will argue in court that the case should be reopened as a possible group murder investigation.
The legal move seeks to challenge the official conclusion that an avalanche caused the deaths, a verdict relatives have never accepted. Chernousov claims crucial forensic procedures were never carried out, including chemical and histological examinations that should have accompanied the autopsies. He argues that modern forensic methods could determine whether the hikers were exposed to toxic substances or other overlooked causes of death.
According to Chernousov, the 1959 case lacked essential documentation and should not be regarded as a valid criminal investigation, suggesting a possible cover-up by Soviet secret services. The renewed push will be launched in the Russian court system, reigniting decades of conspiracy theories involving avalanches, secret weapons tests, UFOs, yetis, and Cold War espionage.
Some victims were found stripped naked in temperatures below -20C, while others suffered catastrophic injuries like fractured skulls and crushed chests. Two bodies were missing eyes, and one was completely dismembered of its tongue. Relatives also want Russian television channels to stop broadcasting unfounded conspiracy theories, such as claims that a yeti or aliens were responsible.
If permission is granted for exhumation, it would mark the most dramatic development since Russian authorities formally backed the avalanche explanation in 2020.
