January 5, 2026 • 29 mins
Dive into chilling stories and eerie folklore with this terrifying true mystery from Siberia...A true crime / survival mystery in August 1993, seven hikers entered the Hamar-Daban Mountains of Buryatia (near Lake Baikal)—and only one walked back out. What happened on that windswept ridge has been called the “Buryat Dyatlov Pass”: a sudden storm, a frantic descent, and then a cascade of bizarre symptoms—foaming at the mouth, blood, panic, and collapse—leaving six bodies scattered on an exposed ledge while a terrified teen survivor staggered to a river and found help.
Officials ruled hypothermia and closed the case. But the details refused to stay buried: claims of missing eyes later attributed to scavengers, questions about food and exhaustion, and theories ranging from toxic exposure to military testing to the possibility of cold/altitude-related pulmonary edema.
Inside this episode:
This is a case where nature, fear, and unanswered questions collide—and the only person who knows the final minutes had to live with them forever. We’re telling that story tonight.
🎧 LISTEN NOW and subscribe for spine-tingling horror stories every week!
🎉 Unlock exclusive bonus episodes and support the show on Patreon!
👉 WeeklySpooky.com/Join
📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!
🎵 Music by Ray Mattis 👉 Check out Ray’s incredible work here !
👨💼 Executive Producers: Rob Fields, Bobbletopia.com
🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder
🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com
Officials ruled hypothermia and closed the case. But the details refused to stay buried: claims of missing eyes later attributed to scavengers, questions about food and exhaustion, and theories ranging from toxic exposure to military testing to the possibility of cold/altitude-related pulmonary edema.
Inside this episode:
- The trek: Lyudmila Korovina leads six young hikers into the Hamar-Daban range
- The turn: August 4–5 — a brutal storm hits at roughly 2,300 meters
- The collapse: eyewitness survivor account of sudden convulsions and rapid deaths
- The recovery: why the scene looked “impossible,” and what time + wildlife can do
- The official file: why authorities said hypothermia—and what they dismissed
- Theories vs. evidence: separating folklore from what the record can actually support
This is a case where nature, fear, and unanswered questions collide—and the only person who knows the final minutes had to live with them forever. We’re telling that story tonight.
🎧 LISTEN NOW and subscribe for spine-tingling horror stories every week!
🎉 Unlock exclusive bonus episodes and support the show on Patreon!
👉 WeeklySpooky.com/Join
📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!
- Twitter: @WeeklySpooky
- Facebook: facebook.com/WeeklySpooky
- Email: WeeklySpooky@gmail.com
🎵 Music by Ray Mattis 👉 Check out Ray’s incredible work here !
👨💼 Executive Producers: Rob Fields, Bobbletopia.com
🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder
🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
The storm came out of nowhere, and then the hikers
started dropping, one by one, foaming, bleeding, screaming. In minutes,
six were gone on a Siberian ridge they would never escape,
(00:24):
and one terrified teenager ran blind into the wilderness, praying
the river would lead her to safety. What you were
about to pat is buried to be based on witness accounts, testaments,
(00:46):
and public record, this is terrifying and treat High in
the Hamar Dabon Mountains of Siberia, winter doesn't wait for
(01:07):
a season. Even in summer, the cold can arrive like
a verdict, wind knifing through wet clothing, fog swallowing the distance,
and sleet turning every rock into a trap. One moment
you're hiking beneath gray skies, the next you're fighting to
(01:32):
breathe in the air that feels sharpened and watching the
world turn white. In August of nineteen ninety three, seven
hitchhikers followed an experienced leader into that very unforgiving range
near Lake bai Kal. They weren't reckless thrill seekers. They
(01:58):
were trained, prepared and moving with purpose. But when a
sudden storm slammed into the ridge, warmth vanished, Visibility collapsed,
and the mountain began doing what it does best, isolating people,
(02:19):
one decision at a time, until there's no one left
to hear you call out. What happened next still chills
investigators and locals. Decades later, a frantic descent, a campsite
abandoned in chaos, and then the survivor's account of terrifying
(02:45):
symptoms and to collapse so fast it felt unreal. Six
would die on that frozen slope. One would stumble into
the wilderness alone, oaked to the bone, with the storm
at her back and the silence ahead. Authorities were quick
(03:09):
to call it hypothermia and close the file, but the
details refuse to freeze in place. Tonight we examine the facts,
the contradictions, and the theories, because in Hamar Daba, the
cold doesn't just kill, it keeps secrets. Grab a blanket
(03:35):
and something warm to drink as we make our way
to Siberia. And while you're at it, make sure you're
subscribed for more terrifying and true every Monday, right here
on Weekly Spooky. In August of nineteen ninety three, the
(04:07):
Hamar Daban Mountains of Buriatiya majestic peaks, notorious for sudden storms,
became the scene of a baffling tragedy a season. Forty
one year old instructor Laudmiya Coravina led six young trekkers
from Kazakhstan on a challenging hike through this wild terrain.
(04:33):
They had prepared well, mapping their route months in advance
and carrying plenty of food and gear for several days.
Everything went according to plan as the team made steady
progress through forests and over ridges, enjoying campfires under the stars.
(04:54):
But on the night of August fourth through fifth, near
the crest of the rain jet around twenty three hundred meters,
the weather turned. A vicious storm blew in with howling
winds and freezing rain that soon changed to wet snow.
(05:15):
The hikers, dressed for mild weather, were suddenly soaked and
shivering as the temperature plunged. Tense collapsed under the gale
before dawn, Coravina decided they had to get off the
exposed ridge immediately. The group hurried back to pack up
(05:37):
and began descending toward the treeline as the blizzard intensified.
In the early morning hours of August fifth, As the
seven struggled down a slope through blinding snow. Disaster struck
without warning, Twenty four year old Alexander Creasan, one of
(06:00):
the strongest hikers in the team, suddenly fell to the ground,
frothing at the mouth. Valentina Utochenko seventeen later described foam
coming from Chrysan's mouth and blood from his ears as
he convulsed. By the time Coravina reached him, Cresan was
(06:24):
not breathing. Then, shockingly, Corovina herself collapsed. She clutched her
chest and dropped to her knees over Cresan's body, apparently
felled by a heart attack on the spot. What followed
(06:46):
was pure chaos. The remaining hikers were thrown into panic.
In their terror, one hiker, Tatiana Filippenko, began smashing her
head against rocks, Another, Dini Schvatchkin, curled up in his
sleeping bag under a boulder, and seventeen year old Victoria
(07:11):
Zalezova went into a hysterical rage, at one point biting
Valentina's arm while screaming incoherently. Korvina tried to rally them,
but it was too late. One by one, the others
collapsed on the icy ground, falling where they stood. In
(07:36):
a matter of minutes, six members of the group were
dead or dying, scattered in the howling wind. Only Valentina
remained on her feet. Bruised, numb, and terrified. She realized
she was the last one alive. She broke away and
(07:59):
ran half stumbling, half sliding down the mountain through the storm,
praying she might find help before it was too late.
After several hours of stumbling alone through the wilderness, a
little past midday, a group of Ukrainian rafters on the
(08:20):
Sneezna River spotted a young woman on the river bank.
It was Valentina. She was battered, soaked, and incoherent, shouting
about dead friends on the mountain. The rafters rushed to
her aid. They wrapped her in warm clothes and tried
(08:41):
to calm her as she babbled about what had happened.
Once they grasped the situation, they alerted the authorities at once.
Rescue teams launched an urgent search, but the weather hampered them.
Helicopters and round crews scoured the mountains for days, initially
(09:05):
finding nothing. Finally, on August twenty seventh, nearly three weeks
after the ordeal, a rescue helicopter crew spotted a grim
scene on a high barren ledge. Six bodies were lying
in the snow. When rescuers reached the site, they found
(09:28):
the corpses exactly as Valentina had described. The site was ghastly.
It was a terrible picture, as one helicopter crewman reported.
The bodies lay on a small rocky shelf, some huddled together,
(09:48):
others sprawled apart. They had been exposed to the elements
for weeks. All of their eyes were gone, empty sockets
staring into the sky, and parts of their faces and
limbs had been eaten away by scavengers. In the open mouths,
(10:11):
insects writhed the stench of decay hung in the thin air.
Rescuers wrapped the remains in plastic for transport, but even
then the helicopter was filled with a foul odor during
the return flight. In total, six lives were lost on
(10:33):
that ledge. Valentina Otchenko, the teenager who managed to flee,
was the only survivor of the expedition. Russian authorities investigated
the incident to determine how this calamity unfolded. Forensic autopsies
(10:54):
confirmed that All six victims ultimately died of hypothermia lethal
exposure to the cold. Their bodies showed classic signs of
freezing and exhaustion, soaked tattered clothes, and internal damage consistent
(11:15):
with extreme cold, including completely depleted energy reserves. Importantly, there
were no major external injuries and no indication of foul
play or violence. Investigators found no traces of any toxins
(11:35):
or drugs. Based on the evidence, officials concluded that the
group fell victim to a deadly combination of weather and
human missteps. As the final report put it, no criminal
case was opened. The only factors were in proper leadership
(11:57):
and cold. In other words, the official verdict was that
Coravena's team froze to death due to an unexpected mountain
storm and sheer fatigue. One finding suggested the hikers were
(12:21):
weaker than expected before the storm even hit. Searchers noted
that at the final campsite, the team's food stores were
virtually gone. Only a single can of meat stew was
found for all seven people quote, no candy wrappers, no
(12:44):
extra rations, nothing, One rescuer recalled, implying the group might
have been running on empty. Coravina was known as a
tough survivalist instructor who sometimes kept her students on minimal
rations to harden them. If she had done so here,
(13:05):
it could explain why the hikers deteriorated so rapidly when
conditions turned Quote, no wonder they died. Their bodies were spent,
that rescuer commented bitterly. Valentina o Tochenko, however, has always
(13:27):
defended her mentor and the group's preparation. She insists they
were well fed and well equipped. In interviews, Valentina said
they ate hot meals four times a day and had
plenty of snacks. Quote we often built campfires to warm food,
(13:49):
she noted. She describes Coravina as an attentive, caring leader
who did everything possible once the weather turned bad. According
to Valentina, Corovina woke everyone early and tried to lead
a careful descent. Quote she tried to save us. She
(14:11):
just didn't have time, Valentina recounted, rejecting any claim of incompetence.
Valentina also offered her own theory for the tragedy. She
believes a sudden pulmonary edema a rapid fluid build up
(14:31):
in the lungs might have struck down her friends. In
the extreme conditions, this can cause victims to froth blood
and suffocate quickly. It's a known but rare reaction to
high altitude and cold, and it matched some of the
symptoms she witnessed. Doctors acknowledged that cold induced edema can happen,
(14:58):
though it is highly unusual dual at two thousand, three
hundred meters. Despite her speculation, officials did not find medical
proof of this specific occurrence, and the official explanation remained hypothermia.
In the end, the authorities treated the case as a
(15:21):
tragic accident. No further criminal or scientific inquiry was pursued.
The file was closed with the conclusion that a sudden
change of weather, combined with possible mistakes in judgment, led
to the deaths. Nothing supernatural or extraordinary, just a worst
(15:46):
case scenario of nature overwhelming the hikers. For many who
hear the story, however, the official verdict feels incomplete. The
base manner in which the hikers died has given rise
to a slew of alternative theories. How could a close
(16:09):
knit trekking group descend into such horror so quickly. Over
the years, outdoor enthusiasts and mystery lovers have proposed various explanations.
Here are some of the leading theories, each with a
compelling point or two, and each with a major flaw.
(16:32):
The first is nerve gas exposure. Perhaps the hikers encountered
a cloud of military grade nerve gas. Nerve agents like novichok,
can cause convulsions, foaming at the mouth, paralysis, and death
within minutes, eerily matching the scene Valentina had described. Maybe
(16:59):
a seascret weapons test or accidental leak in the area
gased the group, killing them almost simultaneously. However, extensive testing
found no poisons in the victim's bodies and there were
no reports of military operations nearby. Without a shred of
(17:23):
evidence of chemicals, this theory remains pure speculation. Another theory
is more natural, although still terrifying. Some theorize a natural
phenomena infrasound from the storm induced terror in the group.
(17:45):
Powerful winds can generate low frequency vibrations that humans can't
hear but might feel, potentially causing unease or panic. The
fierce gale that night could have conceivably produced infrasound that
(18:06):
drove the hikers into irrational fear or even physical distress.
This might account for their sudden hysterical behavior. Yet this
idea is very very hard to prove. No recordings exist
of any unusual sound that night, and the hikers already
(18:31):
had ample reason to panic due to the freezing blizzard
and the collapsing of their camp infrasound remains an intriguing
but uninformed hypothesis. Another theory that others suspect are environmental toxins.
(18:52):
Perhaps an unexpected release of gas from a lightning strike
the ground or a d distant industrial accident poisoned the
hiker's air inhaling something like ozone or chemical fumes could
have burned their lungs, causing them to cough blood and collapse.
(19:16):
Such fumes would neatly explain the bloody froth and sudden deaths. However,
no evidence of any chemical leak or unusual gas was
ever found. Autopsies detected no toxins, and no nearby incident
was reported. This theory, too, is mostly guesswork without data.
(19:43):
A more conventional disaster scenario is also considered. Maybe a
small avalanche or a powerful gust of wind a catabatic
wind struck the camp. A slab of wet snow could
have collapsed onto them, or a sudden windblast might have
(20:04):
knocked members off their feet, triggering panic. This could explain
why the team became so disoriented so fast. However, rescuers
saw no sign of any avalanche debris, and the bodies
had no injuries, none consistent with a snow slide impact.
(20:29):
While extreme weather undoubtedly contributed to their fate, it alone
doesn't explain the hiker's bizarre symptoms and rapid demise. The
simplest explanation is that there was no mystery at all,
(20:49):
just human tragedy. Coravena may have overestimated her team's ability
and made fatal decisions. By the time they faced the storm,
the hikers were already exhausted and freezing. Severe hypothermia can
(21:09):
lead to confusion, irrational behavior, and even hallucinations, which could
explain the self harm and delirium reported. The gruesome injuries
like missing eyes were likely caused by scavenging animals after death,
(21:30):
not any strange force, as investigators had suggested a perfect
storm of poor planning and brutal weather, not the paranormal
had killed the group. None of these theories can be proven,
(21:56):
yet none can be entirely dismissed. Decades later, people still
debate what really happened on that mountain. Officially, the tragedy
was simple, but to those who know the story, that
answer feels almost too neat and tidy. The deaths were
(22:21):
so sudden and strange that it's hard not to wonder
if something more was at play in the end. The
nineteen ninety three Hamar Dabbin incident occupies an uneasy realm
between fact and folklore, a case where nature's power, human fear,
(22:44):
and our desire for answers combine to shroud the truth
in mystery. This disaster inevitably drew parallels to the famous
Yatlav Past incident of nineteen fifty nine. Both involved young
hikers dying under puzzling circumstances in the mountains. The media
(23:09):
even dubbed Coravina's case as the buryat Ditlov Pass because
of these similarities, unexplained injuries, signs of panic, and gruesome
details evoking the Ditlav mystery. However, the differences are significant.
(23:30):
Ditlov's group faced deep winter cold and likely an avalanche,
whereas Coravina's team was caught in a summer storm and
no avalanche evidence was ever found Ditlov's autopsies showed severe
trauma from a snow impact, while the Hamar D'aban victims
(23:55):
had no such injuries, only indications of hypothera. Moreover, the
Dyetlav incident underwent decades of intensive investigation, and today most
experts conclude an avalanche and hypothermia were to blame. Coravina's case,
(24:17):
in contrast, was quickly classified as an accident and never
studied to the same depth. Additionally, each tragedy left only
one survivor. At the Dyetlav Pass, a hiker had turned
back early and wasn't present for the fatal night. At
(24:39):
Hamar Daban, only Valentina lived to recount the ordeal. That
solitary perspective or lack of witnesses in the final moments
contributed to the enduring aura of mystery in both cases.
As a result, the diet Love Pass mystery became a
(25:02):
well known and now largely solved legend, while the Hamar
Daban tragedy, though chilling, remained a more obscure regional tale.
In the years since nineteen ninety three, the story of
Corravina's expedition has become part of local lore tour guides
(25:26):
in Buratia sometimes speak of a cursed pass where the
mountain claimed six lives, and hikers share the tale as
a cautionary lesson. Valentina Utochenko, the sole survivor, withdrew from
public view and only gave a brief television interview many
(25:49):
years later. The incident has been recounted in a few
documentaries and online articles, often with sensational or supernatural embellishments
that never appeared in the official report. In truth, the
formal aftermath was straightforward. The victims were recovered and laid
(26:14):
to rest, and the authorities filed the case as a
tragic mountaineering accident, a Turiskaya tragedya in the official records.
Not everyone believes there's anything mystical to the story. Experts
like Edward Gothstein emphasized that quote none of this was
(26:39):
a mystery. In reality, they point out that Valentina's recollections
have varied on certain details, for example, whether foam and
blood were present or whether she closed her friend's eyes,
suggesting that trauma may have distorted some of her memories.
(27:01):
From this perspective, the Hammar Daban tragedy was caused by
an over zealous leader bad luck and brutal weather, and
it unfolded much like any other outdoor accident might. The
most remarkable part, they argue, is not any unknown force,
(27:24):
but Valentina's own survival against the odds. Even today, the
incident remains unsettling. Hikers on the Hammar Daban route sometimes
pause at a small memorial plaque for the nineteen ninety
three victims and reflect on what happened. The wind at
(27:47):
that pass still whispers through the trees, and it's easy
to feel a shiver recalling how quickly an adventure turned
in to a nightmare. In these lonely heights, nature's fury
can seem almost otherworldly. Whatever the truth may be, the
(28:13):
memory of Cora ven A's doomed group endures a haunting
reminder that the wilderness can keep its darkest secrets. Terrifying
and True is narrated by Enrique Kuto. It's executive produced
by Rob Fields and bobble Topia dot com and produced
(28:35):
by Dan Wilder, with original theme music by Ray Mattis.
If you have a story you think we should cover
on Terrifying and True, send us an email at Weekly
Spooky at gmail dot com, and if you want to
support us for as little as one dollar a month.
Go to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join. Your support for
as little as one dollar a month keeps the show going.
And speaking of, I want to say an extra special
(28:57):
thank you to our Patreon podcast boost folks who pay
a little bit more to hear their name at the
end of the show. And they are Johnny Nicks, Kate
and Lulu, Jessica Fuller, Mike Escuey, Jenny Green, Amber Hansburg,
Karen we Met, Jack Ker, and Craig Cohen. Thank you
all so much and thank you for listening. We'll see
you all right here next time on Terrifying and True
The storm came out of nowhere, and then the hikers
started dropping, one by one, foaming, bleeding, screaming. In minutes,
six were gone on a Siberian ridge they would never escape,
(00:24):
and one terrified teenager ran blind into the wilderness, praying
the river would lead her to safety. What you were
about to pat is buried to be based on witness accounts, testaments,
(00:46):
and public record, this is terrifying and treat High in
the Hamar Dabon Mountains of Siberia, winter doesn't wait for
(01:07):
a season. Even in summer, the cold can arrive like
a verdict, wind knifing through wet clothing, fog swallowing the distance,
and sleet turning every rock into a trap. One moment
you're hiking beneath gray skies, the next you're fighting to
(01:32):
breathe in the air that feels sharpened and watching the
world turn white. In August of nineteen ninety three, seven
hitchhikers followed an experienced leader into that very unforgiving range
near Lake bai Kal. They weren't reckless thrill seekers. They
(01:58):
were trained, prepared and moving with purpose. But when a
sudden storm slammed into the ridge, warmth vanished, Visibility collapsed,
and the mountain began doing what it does best, isolating people,
(02:19):
one decision at a time, until there's no one left
to hear you call out. What happened next still chills
investigators and locals. Decades later, a frantic descent, a campsite
abandoned in chaos, and then the survivor's account of terrifying
(02:45):
symptoms and to collapse so fast it felt unreal. Six
would die on that frozen slope. One would stumble into
the wilderness alone, oaked to the bone, with the storm
at her back and the silence ahead. Authorities were quick
(03:09):
to call it hypothermia and close the file, but the
details refuse to freeze in place. Tonight we examine the facts,
the contradictions, and the theories, because in Hamar Daba, the
cold doesn't just kill, it keeps secrets. Grab a blanket
(03:35):
and something warm to drink as we make our way
to Siberia. And while you're at it, make sure you're
subscribed for more terrifying and true every Monday, right here
on Weekly Spooky. In August of nineteen ninety three, the
(04:07):
Hamar Daban Mountains of Buriatiya majestic peaks, notorious for sudden storms,
became the scene of a baffling tragedy a season. Forty
one year old instructor Laudmiya Coravina led six young trekkers
from Kazakhstan on a challenging hike through this wild terrain.
(04:33):
They had prepared well, mapping their route months in advance
and carrying plenty of food and gear for several days.
Everything went according to plan as the team made steady
progress through forests and over ridges, enjoying campfires under the stars.
(04:54):
But on the night of August fourth through fifth, near
the crest of the rain jet around twenty three hundred meters,
the weather turned. A vicious storm blew in with howling
winds and freezing rain that soon changed to wet snow.
(05:15):
The hikers, dressed for mild weather, were suddenly soaked and
shivering as the temperature plunged. Tense collapsed under the gale
before dawn, Coravina decided they had to get off the
exposed ridge immediately. The group hurried back to pack up
(05:37):
and began descending toward the treeline as the blizzard intensified.
In the early morning hours of August fifth, As the
seven struggled down a slope through blinding snow. Disaster struck
without warning, Twenty four year old Alexander Creasan, one of
(06:00):
the strongest hikers in the team, suddenly fell to the ground,
frothing at the mouth. Valentina Utochenko seventeen later described foam
coming from Chrysan's mouth and blood from his ears as
he convulsed. By the time Coravina reached him, Cresan was
(06:24):
not breathing. Then, shockingly, Corovina herself collapsed. She clutched her
chest and dropped to her knees over Cresan's body, apparently
felled by a heart attack on the spot. What followed
(06:46):
was pure chaos. The remaining hikers were thrown into panic.
In their terror, one hiker, Tatiana Filippenko, began smashing her
head against rocks, Another, Dini Schvatchkin, curled up in his
sleeping bag under a boulder, and seventeen year old Victoria
(07:11):
Zalezova went into a hysterical rage, at one point biting
Valentina's arm while screaming incoherently. Korvina tried to rally them,
but it was too late. One by one, the others
collapsed on the icy ground, falling where they stood. In
(07:36):
a matter of minutes, six members of the group were
dead or dying, scattered in the howling wind. Only Valentina
remained on her feet. Bruised, numb, and terrified. She realized
she was the last one alive. She broke away and
(07:59):
ran half stumbling, half sliding down the mountain through the storm,
praying she might find help before it was too late.
After several hours of stumbling alone through the wilderness, a
little past midday, a group of Ukrainian rafters on the
(08:20):
Sneezna River spotted a young woman on the river bank.
It was Valentina. She was battered, soaked, and incoherent, shouting
about dead friends on the mountain. The rafters rushed to
her aid. They wrapped her in warm clothes and tried
(08:41):
to calm her as she babbled about what had happened.
Once they grasped the situation, they alerted the authorities at once.
Rescue teams launched an urgent search, but the weather hampered them.
Helicopters and round crews scoured the mountains for days, initially
(09:05):
finding nothing. Finally, on August twenty seventh, nearly three weeks
after the ordeal, a rescue helicopter crew spotted a grim
scene on a high barren ledge. Six bodies were lying
in the snow. When rescuers reached the site, they found
(09:28):
the corpses exactly as Valentina had described. The site was ghastly.
It was a terrible picture, as one helicopter crewman reported.
The bodies lay on a small rocky shelf, some huddled together,
(09:48):
others sprawled apart. They had been exposed to the elements
for weeks. All of their eyes were gone, empty sockets
staring into the sky, and parts of their faces and
limbs had been eaten away by scavengers. In the open mouths,
(10:11):
insects writhed the stench of decay hung in the thin air.
Rescuers wrapped the remains in plastic for transport, but even
then the helicopter was filled with a foul odor during
the return flight. In total, six lives were lost on
(10:33):
that ledge. Valentina Otchenko, the teenager who managed to flee,
was the only survivor of the expedition. Russian authorities investigated
the incident to determine how this calamity unfolded. Forensic autopsies
(10:54):
confirmed that All six victims ultimately died of hypothermia lethal
exposure to the cold. Their bodies showed classic signs of
freezing and exhaustion, soaked tattered clothes, and internal damage consistent
(11:15):
with extreme cold, including completely depleted energy reserves. Importantly, there
were no major external injuries and no indication of foul
play or violence. Investigators found no traces of any toxins
(11:35):
or drugs. Based on the evidence, officials concluded that the
group fell victim to a deadly combination of weather and
human missteps. As the final report put it, no criminal
case was opened. The only factors were in proper leadership
(11:57):
and cold. In other words, the official verdict was that
Coravena's team froze to death due to an unexpected mountain
storm and sheer fatigue. One finding suggested the hikers were
(12:21):
weaker than expected before the storm even hit. Searchers noted
that at the final campsite, the team's food stores were
virtually gone. Only a single can of meat stew was
found for all seven people quote, no candy wrappers, no
(12:44):
extra rations, nothing, One rescuer recalled, implying the group might
have been running on empty. Coravina was known as a
tough survivalist instructor who sometimes kept her students on minimal
rations to harden them. If she had done so here,
(13:05):
it could explain why the hikers deteriorated so rapidly when
conditions turned Quote, no wonder they died. Their bodies were spent,
that rescuer commented bitterly. Valentina o Tochenko, however, has always
(13:27):
defended her mentor and the group's preparation. She insists they
were well fed and well equipped. In interviews, Valentina said
they ate hot meals four times a day and had
plenty of snacks. Quote we often built campfires to warm food,
(13:49):
she noted. She describes Coravina as an attentive, caring leader
who did everything possible once the weather turned bad. According
to Valentina, Corovina woke everyone early and tried to lead
a careful descent. Quote she tried to save us. She
(14:11):
just didn't have time, Valentina recounted, rejecting any claim of incompetence.
Valentina also offered her own theory for the tragedy. She
believes a sudden pulmonary edema a rapid fluid build up
(14:31):
in the lungs might have struck down her friends. In
the extreme conditions, this can cause victims to froth blood
and suffocate quickly. It's a known but rare reaction to
high altitude and cold, and it matched some of the
symptoms she witnessed. Doctors acknowledged that cold induced edema can happen,
(14:58):
though it is highly unusual dual at two thousand, three
hundred meters. Despite her speculation, officials did not find medical
proof of this specific occurrence, and the official explanation remained hypothermia.
In the end, the authorities treated the case as a
(15:21):
tragic accident. No further criminal or scientific inquiry was pursued.
The file was closed with the conclusion that a sudden
change of weather, combined with possible mistakes in judgment, led
to the deaths. Nothing supernatural or extraordinary, just a worst
(15:46):
case scenario of nature overwhelming the hikers. For many who
hear the story, however, the official verdict feels incomplete. The
base manner in which the hikers died has given rise
to a slew of alternative theories. How could a close
(16:09):
knit trekking group descend into such horror so quickly. Over
the years, outdoor enthusiasts and mystery lovers have proposed various explanations.
Here are some of the leading theories, each with a
compelling point or two, and each with a major flaw.
(16:32):
The first is nerve gas exposure. Perhaps the hikers encountered
a cloud of military grade nerve gas. Nerve agents like novichok,
can cause convulsions, foaming at the mouth, paralysis, and death
within minutes, eerily matching the scene Valentina had described. Maybe
(16:59):
a seascret weapons test or accidental leak in the area
gased the group, killing them almost simultaneously. However, extensive testing
found no poisons in the victim's bodies and there were
no reports of military operations nearby. Without a shred of
(17:23):
evidence of chemicals, this theory remains pure speculation. Another theory
is more natural, although still terrifying. Some theorize a natural
phenomena infrasound from the storm induced terror in the group.
(17:45):
Powerful winds can generate low frequency vibrations that humans can't
hear but might feel, potentially causing unease or panic. The
fierce gale that night could have conceivably produced infrasound that
(18:06):
drove the hikers into irrational fear or even physical distress.
This might account for their sudden hysterical behavior. Yet this
idea is very very hard to prove. No recordings exist
of any unusual sound that night, and the hikers already
(18:31):
had ample reason to panic due to the freezing blizzard
and the collapsing of their camp infrasound remains an intriguing
but uninformed hypothesis. Another theory that others suspect are environmental toxins.
(18:52):
Perhaps an unexpected release of gas from a lightning strike
the ground or a d distant industrial accident poisoned the
hiker's air inhaling something like ozone or chemical fumes could
have burned their lungs, causing them to cough blood and collapse.
(19:16):
Such fumes would neatly explain the bloody froth and sudden deaths. However,
no evidence of any chemical leak or unusual gas was
ever found. Autopsies detected no toxins, and no nearby incident
was reported. This theory, too, is mostly guesswork without data.
(19:43):
A more conventional disaster scenario is also considered. Maybe a
small avalanche or a powerful gust of wind a catabatic
wind struck the camp. A slab of wet snow could
have collapsed onto them, or a sudden windblast might have
(20:04):
knocked members off their feet, triggering panic. This could explain
why the team became so disoriented so fast. However, rescuers
saw no sign of any avalanche debris, and the bodies
had no injuries, none consistent with a snow slide impact.
(20:29):
While extreme weather undoubtedly contributed to their fate, it alone
doesn't explain the hiker's bizarre symptoms and rapid demise. The
simplest explanation is that there was no mystery at all,
(20:49):
just human tragedy. Coravena may have overestimated her team's ability
and made fatal decisions. By the time they faced the storm,
the hikers were already exhausted and freezing. Severe hypothermia can
(21:09):
lead to confusion, irrational behavior, and even hallucinations, which could
explain the self harm and delirium reported. The gruesome injuries
like missing eyes were likely caused by scavenging animals after death,
(21:30):
not any strange force, as investigators had suggested a perfect
storm of poor planning and brutal weather, not the paranormal
had killed the group. None of these theories can be proven,
(21:56):
yet none can be entirely dismissed. Decades later, people still
debate what really happened on that mountain. Officially, the tragedy
was simple, but to those who know the story, that
answer feels almost too neat and tidy. The deaths were
(22:21):
so sudden and strange that it's hard not to wonder
if something more was at play in the end. The
nineteen ninety three Hamar Dabbin incident occupies an uneasy realm
between fact and folklore, a case where nature's power, human fear,
(22:44):
and our desire for answers combine to shroud the truth
in mystery. This disaster inevitably drew parallels to the famous
Yatlav Past incident of nineteen fifty nine. Both involved young
hikers dying under puzzling circumstances in the mountains. The media
(23:09):
even dubbed Coravina's case as the buryat Ditlov Pass because
of these similarities, unexplained injuries, signs of panic, and gruesome
details evoking the Ditlav mystery. However, the differences are significant.
(23:30):
Ditlov's group faced deep winter cold and likely an avalanche,
whereas Coravina's team was caught in a summer storm and
no avalanche evidence was ever found Ditlov's autopsies showed severe
trauma from a snow impact, while the Hamar D'aban victims
(23:55):
had no such injuries, only indications of hypothera. Moreover, the
Dyetlav incident underwent decades of intensive investigation, and today most
experts conclude an avalanche and hypothermia were to blame. Coravina's case,
(24:17):
in contrast, was quickly classified as an accident and never
studied to the same depth. Additionally, each tragedy left only
one survivor. At the Dyetlav Pass, a hiker had turned
back early and wasn't present for the fatal night. At
(24:39):
Hamar Daban, only Valentina lived to recount the ordeal. That
solitary perspective or lack of witnesses in the final moments
contributed to the enduring aura of mystery in both cases.
As a result, the diet Love Pass mystery became a
(25:02):
well known and now largely solved legend, while the Hamar
Daban tragedy, though chilling, remained a more obscure regional tale.
In the years since nineteen ninety three, the story of
Corravina's expedition has become part of local lore tour guides
(25:26):
in Buratia sometimes speak of a cursed pass where the
mountain claimed six lives, and hikers share the tale as
a cautionary lesson. Valentina Utochenko, the sole survivor, withdrew from
public view and only gave a brief television interview many
(25:49):
years later. The incident has been recounted in a few
documentaries and online articles, often with sensational or supernatural embellishments
that never appeared in the official report. In truth, the
formal aftermath was straightforward. The victims were recovered and laid
(26:14):
to rest, and the authorities filed the case as a
tragic mountaineering accident, a Turiskaya tragedya in the official records.
Not everyone believes there's anything mystical to the story. Experts
like Edward Gothstein emphasized that quote none of this was
(26:39):
a mystery. In reality, they point out that Valentina's recollections
have varied on certain details, for example, whether foam and
blood were present or whether she closed her friend's eyes,
suggesting that trauma may have distorted some of her memories.
(27:01):
From this perspective, the Hammar Daban tragedy was caused by
an over zealous leader bad luck and brutal weather, and
it unfolded much like any other outdoor accident might. The
most remarkable part, they argue, is not any unknown force,
(27:24):
but Valentina's own survival against the odds. Even today, the
incident remains unsettling. Hikers on the Hammar Daban route sometimes
pause at a small memorial plaque for the nineteen ninety
three victims and reflect on what happened. The wind at
(27:47):
that pass still whispers through the trees, and it's easy
to feel a shiver recalling how quickly an adventure turned
in to a nightmare. In these lonely heights, nature's fury
can seem almost otherworldly. Whatever the truth may be, the
(28:13):
memory of Cora ven A's doomed group endures a haunting
reminder that the wilderness can keep its darkest secrets. Terrifying
and True is narrated by Enrique Kuto. It's executive produced
by Rob Fields and bobble Topia dot com and produced
(28:35):
by Dan Wilder, with original theme music by Ray Mattis.
If you have a story you think we should cover
on Terrifying and True, send us an email at Weekly
Spooky at gmail dot com, and if you want to
support us for as little as one dollar a month.
Go to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join. Your support for
as little as one dollar a month keeps the show going.
And speaking of, I want to say an extra special
(28:57):
thank you to our Patreon podcast boost folks who pay
a little bit more to hear their name at the
end of the show. And they are Johnny Nicks, Kate
and Lulu, Jessica Fuller, Mike Escuey, Jenny Green, Amber Hansburg,
Karen we Met, Jack Ker, and Craig Cohen. Thank you
all so much and thank you for listening. We'll see
you all right here next time on Terrifying and True
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!