Russian Teen Freezes To Death In Car After Taking A Wrong Turn Toward 'Road Of Bones'

A Russian teen froze to death inside a car at minus 50 degrees Celsius after taking a wrong turn toward the notorious "Road of Bones." His friend, who was stranded with him for a week, is still fighting for his life.

Sergey Ustinov, 18, and his friend Vladislav Istomin drove from Yakutsk to Magadan without adequate gear to combat the extreme cold on Nov. 28, reported The Siberian Times. The duo reportedly lost their way and got stranded when night temperatures plummeted to minus 50 degrees Celsius, causing their car radiator to break down.

Unfortunately, Ustinov and Istomin were unable to use their mobile phones to contact emergency services, said a report by News.com.au.

The police found their ice-covered Toyota Chaser on Dec. 5 after a week-long search at Oymyakon, which is the coldest permanently inhabited district in the world. The spot where the vehicle was found was 120 kilometers away from the nearest human settlement.

The Republic of Sakha Interior Ministry said that the police officer had done everything he could to rescue the survivor. "He informed the regional police station and hospital, and got villagers from Tomtor involved in the rescue operation," the ministry said.

Medics are still trying to save Istomin. He remains in critical condition, with his arms and legs acutely frostbitten. "His condition is extremely grave, we are fighting for his life," News.com.au quotes a doctor as saying.

According to The Siberian Times, it is rare in that region to travel with less than two vehicles due to the risk of freezing to death if one vehicle breaks down. In this case, the teen's vehicle was not prepared for the harsh drive.

RT News reported that since the only road between Yakutsk to Magadan was the Kolyma Highway, also known as the "Road of Bones," it remains unclear how exactly the duo lost their way.

The "Road of Bones" was built in the Stalin era using forced Gulag labor. An estimated 250,000 lives were lost in the construction of the remote roadway.