: Korovina reportedly died of a heart attack while trying to help her students. Within minutes, six of the seven hikers were dead.

While the official search did not begin until August 24, the autopsies eventually attributed the deaths to , with the exception of Korovina's heart attack. However, the violent symptoms described by Valentina have led to numerous alternative theories: Supporting Evidence / Context Hypothermia

Despite various scientific and speculative investigations on platforms like Wikipedia and IFLScience , the exact cause of the sudden, localized "mountain madness" remains one of Russia's most haunting unsolved mysteries.

On August 4, the weather suddenly turned, bringing freezing rain and snow. The group camped in an exposed area near the peak of Retranslyator. On the morning of August 5, as they prepared to move, the situation turned into a scene of madness described by the sole survivor, :

: Valentina fled the scene alone, wandering for four days until she reached a river and was rescued by a group of kayakers. Official Findings vs. Theories

Low-frequency sound waves caused by wind (Kármán vortex street) could have induced irrational panic and physical distress.

Some speculate the group may have accidentally foraged and consumed toxic mushrooms for breakfast.

: One hiker, Aleksander Krysin, suddenly collapsed, foaming at the mouth and bleeding from his eyes and ears.