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What caused the rib and skull fractures in Dubinina, Zolotaryov and Thibeaux-Brignolles?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·4 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: a dense snow slab struck them while they lay on packed skis and gear, which acted as a rigid baseAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Four answers have been proposed. A dense snow slab struck them while they lay on packed skis and gear, which acted as a rigid base. leads, with evidence 2 for: partly supported by its tests. Three are still possible.

Why it matters

The three injury cases are the hardest physical evidence and the point on which the natural explanations have always been weakest. Vozrozhdenny compared the force to a car crash and found no matching external wounds⁠[1].

Answers 4

Evidence: 2 for
Most likely
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible
Evidence: 1 for, 1 against
Disputed
They were struck by people or by a blast.
Failed a test; not refuted outright
Evidence: 1 against
Disputed

History

  1. Prosecutor's Office of Sverdlovsk Oblast (Ivanov puts forward: they fell into the ravine, or snow collapsed onto them in the den, after reaching the forest.
  2. Prosecutor's Office of Sverdlovsk Oblast (Ivanov: the injuries lack the external wounds expected from rockfall or a tool.For: A dense snow slab struck them while they lay on packed skis and gear, which acted as a rigid base.
  3. Prosecutor's Office of Sverdlovsk Oblast (Ivanov: the ravine is shallow and snow-filled; the 1959 investigators did not regard a fall as sufficient for the…Against: They fell into the ravine, or snow collapsed onto them in the den, after reaching the forest.
  4. Prosecutor's Office of Sverdlovsk Oblast (Ivanov: the four were found in the ravine under about four metres of snow, 75 m from the cedar.For: They fell into the ravine, or snow collapsed onto them in the den, after reaching the forest.
  5. Prosecutor's Office of Sverdlovsk Oblast (Ivanov: no external wounds matching blows were found; the pattern is of broad compression.Against: They were struck by people or by a blast.
  6. Gaume & Puzrin puts forward: a dense snow slab struck them while they lay on packed skis and gear, which acted as a rigid base.
  7. Gaume & Puzrin: simulations using automotive cadaver data reproduce rib and skull fractures without external wounds for a…For: A dense snow slab struck them while they lay on packed skis and gear, which acted as a rigid base.
  8. Wikipedia contributors puts forward: they were struck by people or by a blast.
  9. Asked on this site
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