Did the Rav4 die from suffocation?

[MDGross]

There exists the theory that the rav4's snow den collapsed because it was built over a tributary of the Lozva River and the running water of the tributary had hollowed out the snow beneath the den. This caused the snow den to collapse and plunged the rav4 into the stream bed. As the snow den collapsed it loosened a substantial amount of snow causing an avalanche. The rav4's injuries were the result of 10 or more feet of snow pushing their bodies against rocks in the stream bed. So they were alive when the injuries occurred, but died soon after from suffocation. A sure indication would have been an excessive, even fatal, amount of carbon dioxide in their blood, which is how the majority of avalanche victims die. On the autopsy reports here on the site, I don't see a blood analysis of any of the rav4. This is important because it would perhaps give clear evidence of how they died. Does anyone know if their blood was analyzed? Can excessive carbon dioxide be preserved in 60+ year-old bones?

[Mars]

Yes, it is possible. I know Teddy won’t agree with me here. However, I believe that the excavation of bodies and the analysis of the double carbon chain, given the remarkable development of laboratory technology and understanding of DNA over the last two years, could provide many answers.

[WinterLeia]

I wouldn’t say it’s impossible, but I have my doubts. They had no shovels or buckets with them, so they had to have used their hands to dig ten feet of snow out from the hole. I know other people have done that to survive, but I have a hard time believing it, because they were inadequately dressed, and they would already have walked a mile from their tent in freezing weather. Even if they attempted it, I would think they would have died of hypothermia long before they had the opportunity to make the flooring. But, I’m no expert, so I don’t know that for sure.

However, they would have not been able to dig a hole with no tools if it was hard, packed snow. It would have had to have been the light, fluffy kind. I guess they could have still suffocated, but I’m not sure the weight of the snow could have caused the injuries they sustained.

I have been looking into another theory that usually comes up with the snow den collapse hypothesis and that is that their bodies were carried down to the place they were found by the water when the spring thaw came. Even that has its problems, though, as a current that can move a human body should have also moved the tree clippings and clothes, yet the flooring was still intact.

[bertie]

Yes, it is possible. I know Teddy won’t agree with me here. However, I believe that the excavation of bodies and the analysis of the double carbon chain, given the remarkable development of laboratory technology and understanding of DNA over the last two years, could provide many answers.

DNA analysis to determine whether death was caused by suffocation?

There's some merriment for our day😃