"To Prodanov
The data from the external examination was reported in the radiogram of Ivanov, the dimensions of the coffins are 180 cm, the remaining dimensions are of the actual height. I am outraged by the behavior of the crew, which, in response to my categorical demands, did not take the cargo specially prepared for transportation, about which I ask you to inform the commander of the Urals twice to the hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel General Lelyushenko. Ortyukov.
Received by Temniko"
"RADIOGRAM №10 FROM MAY 7, 1959
To Sverdlovsk, the regional committee of the CPSU, for the attention of Ermash. The regional executive committee for the attention of Pavlov.
The Ivdel city committee of the CPSU, for Prodanov. Captain Potyazhenko, the helicopter commander, has refused to evacuate the deceased, explaining his refusal with the order received from com. Gorlachenko, which [order] prohibited any evacuation without zinc boxes" (more of this radiogram but its long so I only posted the pertinent part)
I did search the site as you can see and there was an issue. But what I couldn't and can't find was: is it standard procedure to use zinc caskets and why test for radiation, not what was tested
if it was standard, as you suggest, then why were they not carrying zinc containers for the bodies? the crew felt so strongly about not carrying the bodies, that they knew they were there to get, that they were willing to defy orders. The other part of the question is: was it standard to test people for radiation when they were found frozen from a known cross country ski trip?
This is UK source.
"A wooden coffin will need to be zinc lined, this means the coffin will need to be made airtight and hermetically sealed to meet the requirements for the repatriation of remains. If the coffin is to be used for the funeral back home, we can use a zinc cad-seal which also meets airline regulations."
"Zinc and lead minerals often occur together because, as elements, they have similar chemical behavior and combine with sulfur as primary minerals"
For Russia
Why would someone be buried in a zinc coffin?
Then, while Soviet troops battled the elusive Mujahideen in the valleys and deserts of Afghanistan, Soviet dead were sent home in the zinc-lined coffins. Zinc was cheap, readily available and didn't rust
"Its using to get corpses from one country to other. Shiping miltary and etc. In post soviet union countries zinc coffin have code name “cargo 200"
In general, (the west is the same as the east).
Why are some coffins lined in lead?
Why do they line coffins with lead?
Lead is a very ancient way to seal things. It does not decay, it is soft and easy to shape. You can fold it over and pound it flat for a good seal. And for a perfect seal, you can melt the edges and let it all flow together into one seamless piece.
There are only two flaws: it is VERY heavy, and it is not very strong. It bends too easily to make much from it.
When bodies are not embalmed, they either need to be buried quickly, or thoroughly sealed. Lead can be a good material. You can solve the strength issue by using an outer wood coffin, and lining it with lead. But that is still very heavy. Now, it would be more common to use galvanized steel sheet metal, steel electroplated with
zinc, to form the liner, then molten lead is poured into all the joints to seal them.
And in the vast majority of cases now, the lead used as a sealant has been replaced by materials such as silicon. This is easier to apply and less likely to crack. The new materials are probably better choices. But when the old way goes back to the Romans…
In case you didn't understand, zinc is what they used. The date is the month of May that you quote. The bodies were rotting. This is the ravine 4 that they are talking about. Decomposing bodies. Zinc clad coffins are not for radiation but for transportation and burial.
There are discrepancies from the helicopter pilot own accounts verses the pulling of the gun.
Firstly,If the gun getting pulled is true , I would suspect the pilots didn't want dead rotting bodies in their helicopter lying randomly about the cargo space. ( It would certainly not be for any radiation issues because they wouldn't know that there was radiation at that time) .
Secondly , the helicopter commander states that he does not recall any event of a gun getting pulled.
Thirdly ( if you look up "WAB" forum member and in his posts) he talks about procedures of loading helicopters etc.
The truth will be across these three things I would guess.
But basically, zinc is used in coffins and that's just how it is, before and after the Dyatlov case.
Topic: why test for radiation? (Read 3790 times)
