□nv□stigatorslearn□dthatth□□rouphadbeen□riendsforyear□,bu□□ecentlyth□r□h□dbeentension□m□ngthem.Rumo□so□di□ag□ee□entsandargume□□s□uringthetripbegantosu□f□c□,□ea□i□□a□□h□ri□iesto□peculat□□hetherfoulplay□asinvolved.Each□e□berof□hegroupha□adifferentsto□y□otell,an□theinco□sistenciesint□e□racc□□nts□n□yaddedt□themyst□□yofthem□ssin□nine. Investigators□earnedt□att□eg□□up□□dbe□nfriendsforye□rs,bu□recentlyther□hadbeentensionamongthem.Rumor□o□disagre□mentsanda□□u□en□sd□r□ngthetrip□egantosur□ace,l□ad□n□□uthor□t□□s□ospeculatewheth□□foulplayw□s□nvolved.Eachme□b□rof□hegrouph□da□□fferent□to□□totell,andtheinconsistenciesint□eiraccountsonly□□dedtot□emyst□ryofthemissingnin□.□□ Invest□gatorslearnedthat□hegrouphadbe□□frien□sforyears,butrece□t□ythe□ehadbeentensionamongt□em.Rumorsofdisagreeme□tsa□dargume□tsduringthet□ipbeg□□t□surface,lea□ingauthori□iesto□pe□ulatewhet□erfou□play□asinvolved.E□chm□mbero□thegro□phadadiffer□nt□torytote□l,andt□e□nconsistenciesinthe□racc□un□sonlyad□edtot□emy□□□ryo□t□emis□i□gnine. □□□□stigatorslearnedthatthegro□phadb□e□friend□fo□yea□□,bu□r□□e□□lyt□erehadb□ent□nsi□na□ongthem□Rumorsofdisagreementsandargumen□sdur□ngthetrip□ega□tosurface,leadingauthori□ie□tospec□latewhethe□fo□□p□ay□asinvol□ed.Ea□h□e□berofthegroup□adadifferentstoryto□ell□an□theinco□sis□enciesinth□ira□co□nts□nlyaddedtothemysteryo□themissing□ine.