An amazing story of survival in the taiga, or a forest epic of students Natalya Kosorokukova

Experienced taigs say that an ordinary person without supplies and equipment can survive in the summer in the taiga for no more than two weeks. But there are exceptions that a student from Moscow proved in 1981. 17-year-old Natalya Kosorukova spent 25 days in the taiga and not only survived, but also did not receive much damage to health. True, there was one nuance that brought the rage of rescuers when they found the missing.

Natalya Kosorokukova, a student of the metropolitan exploration college, was sent to the Amakin expedition in June 1981, to Yakutia. The girl hit the detachment of the famous geologist Eric Alekseev. The leader was pleased with the trainee – in the diaries he described it as a competent and disciplined trainee. Natasha quickly got used to the team and began to work on a par with everyone.

Natalia Kosorukova

But on the morning of June 15, 1981, Natasha was not in the camp. It was not at all like her, because the girl was very responsible for work. She did not appear for dinner, and in the evening it became clear to everyone that an emergency occurred. The missing began to search, combing the surroundings of the camp with screams and shots.

There were many versions of the loss of the trainee. Someone suggested that the girl left the camp and became a victim of a wild beast. It was also not excluded that someone from the detachment offended Natasha and she left. True, no one could remember that the girl quarreled with someone or even just argued.

Search on Earth, in water and from the air

The head of the expedition Krivonos reported on the current situation to the headquarters. There were organized search units, which included both experienced geologists and practical students. Technique – all -terrain vehicles and several helicopters were connected to the search. Several boats began to run along the Vilyui River. Both shores carefully examined them.

Expedition Head Valentin Filippovich Krivonos

Everyone knew the rule of survival in the taiga well. It said that the lost should look for a river or stream. Moving downstream, a person will sooner or later go out to people. But the main thing is that it will be guaranteed to be provided with water. Therefore, Kosorukov was searched, first of all, near reservoirs. But no traces of the missing student at the rivers and streams were found.

The search was difficult. Rains were constantly going on, which destroyed all traces and interfered with combing the forest. The moral state of people was also unimportant. Everyone understood well that every day the chances of finding a girl were reduced. During the landing of the helicopter, one of the workers participating in the wanted list fell under the screw and died.

A note left by search engines in the camp, in case Natasha returned herself

The situation was unfavorable for everyone. The expedition managers understood that if they did not find Koshorukov, they were waiting for all the court and prison terms. Natalia's parents called the detachment every day, hoping to hear at least some news. But they had absolutely nothing to say.

25 days in the taiga

The first hope appeared only on July 3. On the shore of one of the rivers they found signs of a person’s stay. It turned out that the student moves in the opposite side of the camp. The traces were long -standing, from the moment the person passed, passed for several days. But the head of the expedition Krivonos and the head of the detachment Alekseev did not lose hope.

Eric Aleksandrovich Alekseev – direct chief of Kosorokukova

And a miracle happened – when no one believed that the girl was alive, there were very fresh marks at the Khoronoch stream. All search units were immediately transferred to this area. On July 10, 25 days after the disappearance, Natalya Kosorukova was found 75 km from the camp. It later turned out that given the curvilledness of the girl’s route, in 25 days she passed along the taiga about 200 km.

To universal surprise, the girl was completely healthy and did not even look exhausted. At the beginning of the way with him, Kosorokhukova had a small supply of crackers, matches and a magnifying glass, which can also be used to breed a fire. But the matches were wet in the rain, but Natalya did not know how to use the magnifying glass. Therefore, all the time she ate crackers and berries found in the taiga. The girl met her 18th birthday, in complete solitude in the one more often.

Pride or stupidity?

Nyurba was taken by helicopter by helicopter, where she was met by the joyful crowd of local residents. The student was sent to the hospital for examination. But the very next day, she refused hospitalization, saying that she did not need help. Natasha’s leaders began to find out why the girl did not follow the rules and moved not along rivers and streams, but randomly.

Yakut village of Nyurba

Everything turned out to be very simple – Kosorukova did not know about the rules of survival in the taiga. During briefings, she hung in the clouds and missed the ears all the most importantly. Despite the lack of knowledge, the girl decided to go out to people on her own, not relying on the aid. Before sending home, the trainee made a recognition that outraged absolutely everyone.

She said that at the beginning of the searches she saw helicopters several times, but specially hid from them. The girl wanted to solve the problem herself and was afraid of responsibility for her actions. This mixture of pride, stupidity and fear cost the life of one person and for almost a month paralyzed the work of hundreds of people. Yes, the reasons for the girl’s departure from the camp did not announce.

Searches of Natalia Kosorokukova

Natasha asked not to send her to Moscow and allow her to complete the practice on the expedition. But its leaders were adamant – such as it was not there, there was definitely no place among geologists. Nothing is known about the future fate of Kosorokurukova. It is doubtful that after what happened she was allowed to connect life with the responsible and dangerous profession of a geologist.

See also – taiga Lolita, or why a large hermit Anna Antipina returned to people