In January 1959, ten experienced young skiers set out for Mount Otorten in the far north of Russia. While one of the skiers fell ill and returned., the remaining nine lost their way and ended up on another mountain slope known as Kholat Syakhl (or ‘Mountain of the Dead’).   

On the night of 1 February 1959 something or someone caused the skiers to flee their tent in such terror that they used knives to slash their way out. Search parties were sent out and their bodies were found, some with massive internal injuries but with no external marks on them.   

The autopsy stated the violent injuries were caused by ‘an unknown compelling force’. The area was sealed off for years by the authorities and the full events of that night remained unexplained. Using original research carried out in Russia and photographs from the skier's cameras, author and researcher Keith McCloskey joins us today to explore  what happened to the nine young people who lost their lives in the mysterious ‘Dyatlov Pass Incident’.  

All of the known negatives taken from the group’s cameras were examined in great detail. What they show is that not only were the group present on Mountain of the Dead that last night, but they were also watching something that was going on in the night sky.  Keith also discusses the Mansi, the tribes people of the area, their spiritual beliefs and folklore and how they fit into the mystery.  

In the plus show Keith discusses the occurrences of lights in the sky in the area including meteors and how the bodies gave off traces of radiation and what he believes this to indicate. Theories of KGB involvement.