The key facts

  • The Usoltsev family went missing in the taiga of Krasnoyarsk Krai in September of last year; the search has been ongoing for more than a year
  • Psychologist Sergey Lang suggested that a quarrel in a panic could have led the spouses to separate and get lost
  • Investigators consider an accident likely but do not rule out a criminal version

A psychologist's theory about a quarrel in the taiga

The Usoltsev family, who went missing in the taiga of Krasnoyarsk Krai, may have quarreled during their hike, after which they separated and got lost. This opinion was expressed by psychologist Sergey Lang in an interview with aif.ru, as reported by Gazeta.Ru. According to him, in an extreme situation a person begins to look for someone to blame, which leads to conflicts. 'In a moment of panic, people often lose control of their actions, so it is possible that a quarrel could have led them to go in different directions and get lost,' Lang suggested. He also noted that under such conditions a person's metabolism increases, and the feeling of hunger adds to their overall state.

What is known about the search

The Usoltsev family — parents and a child — set off on a hike in September of last year and never returned to their hometown. The search has been ongoing for more than a year since their disappearance. Investigators believe an accident occurred, but the criminal version has not been ruled out; the investigation had previously already allowed for the possibility of a quarrel between the spouses. Lang's theory is generally consistent with this line of investigation, but it remains a specialist's assumption rather than an established fact of the case.