Newspapers from the time period might shed some interesting light on the Dyatlov Pass incident. We will include some articles from the time period and general area.
Cutting from "Tagil Worker" newspaper
[Nizhny Tagil is a
town about 140 km North of Yekaterinburg aka Sverdlovsk]
Newspaper Tagil Worker (Nizhny Tagil), of February 18, 1959
UNUSUAL celestial phenomena
At 6 hours and 55 minutes of
local time yesterday in the east-southeast direction of the sky at
20 degrees from the horizon glowing ball was seen with the apparent
diameter of the Moon. The ball was moving toward in the northeast
direction. About seven o'clock a flash inside that orbit was seen
and a very bright core became visible inside the ball. The glow of
the sphere itself became more intense and a luminous cloud appeared
around it, bent in the direction of the south. Cloud spread on the
entire eastern part of the sky. Shortly thereafter, there was a
second flash, it looked like a crescent moon. The cloud gradually
increased in size, in its center witnesses could see a point of
light (glow was variable in magnitude). The ball moved in the
direction northeast- east direction. The object reached a maximum
height above the horizon at approximately 30 degrees at 7 o'clock 05
minutes. As a sphere continued its path this unusual celestial
phenomenon weakened and eroded.
Thinking that it was somehow
connected with the satellite, I turned on the receiver, but there
was no signal reception.
A.Kissel,
Deputy Head of
communication
Vysokogorsky mine
Another witness testimony. It probably describes the same event. But from a different source.
Message by citizen Piguzova
Sheet 227
17 III To Tempalovu by K.Piguzova. 17.03.59 (17 March) Mr.
16. III.59
To Chief of Ivdel police department 17. II. '59 6 hrs. 50 m. Local
time, unusual phenomenon appeared in the sky. It appeared as a star
with a tail. The tail was like a dense cirrus clouds. Then the star
freed from the tail, got brighter and disappeared. It gradually
began to swell, forming a large bowl, wrapped in mist. Then, center
of this sphere lit up first forming a crescent, and then forming a
small ball, not so bright. Large bowl gradually began to fade and
became a blur. At 7 h. 05 m. Completely disappeared. Star moved from
south to north-east.
Meteorological Technician Tokarev (signature)
Head of Hydro meteorological station Piguzova (signature)
Message from Avenburg
Sheet 260
To Prodanov and Wisniewski, 31/03/59 of 9.30 local time.
31.3 04 00 orderly Meshcheryakov noticed a large fire ring, which
moved pass us for 20 minutes, and then disappeared behind a mountain
880 (nameless mountains are given name by the elevation above sea
level, so mountain 880 is 880 meters above sea level) in
south-eastern direction.
Before it disappeared over the horizon, a star appeared at the
center of the ring. This star gradually increased to a size of a
moon and began to fall down separating from the ring.
An unusual phenomenon was observed the whole staff (of the search
party) after the alarm was raised.
Please explain this phenomenon and its security threat, as in our
circumstances it produced a disturbing impression.
Avenburg Potapov Sogrin
Witness report by Valentin Yakimenko
Dated: March 31, 1959
"It happened early in the morning while it was still dark. Viktor Mescheryakov who stood guard that night left the tent and saw a large glowing sphere in the sky. He woke up everyone. We watched this orb (or a disk) for about 20 minutes until it didn't disappear behind the mountain. We saw it in the South- East direction from our tent. It was moving in the Northern direction. This event freaked everyone. We were sure that this event was somehow involved in the death of the Dyatlov group".