Discovery of Remains on Everest Could Provide Clues to the Greatest Climbing Mystery Ever

The fate of Irvine and whether the two climbers ever reached the summit continues to intrigue historians and mountaineers alike.Photo byeverest_today/Instagram

This past September, a National Geographic documentary team, including filmmaker Jimmy Chin, made a significant discovery on Mount Everest finding the remains of British mountaineer Andrew "Sandy" Irvine, who vanished in 1924 alongside George Mallory while attempting to summit the famous mountain. The team found an old boot on the Central Rongbuk Glacier, which contained a foot and a sock with "A.C. IRVINE" stitched inside. This finding now adds a crucial piece to the mystery surrounding Irvine and Mallory's last expedition, which has long captivated the public's imagination, comparable to the enduring quests for answers surrounding well-known figures like Amelia Earhart and Michael Rockefeller. 

British mountaineers George Mallory is seen with Andrew Irvine at base camp in Nepal, the last image of the men before they disappeared.Photo byAP

Irvine and Mallory were last seen on June 8, 1924, during their mission to be the first people to reach Everest's summit, a feat later accomplished by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary in 1953. Whether they had reached the summit has endured as the greatest climbing mystery ever. Mallory's remains were found in 1999, but Irvine's whereabouts remained unknown until this recent discovery. Chin hopes this finding can help clarify what happened to the duo and also provide closure for Irvine's family.

Julie Summers, Irvine's great-niece, expressed gratitude for the discovery, viewing it as a step toward closure for the family. She noted that the remains likely ended up in their location due to avalanches and glacier movement. The family plans to provide DNA samples for confirmation.

The boot is the first possible proof of Irvine’s death since his disappearance during a 1924 expedition.Photo byJimmy Chin/National Geographic/PA Media

The team had previously discovered an oxygen bottle near the site dating back to 1933, nine years after Mallory and Irvine had gone missing. But the 1933 British Everest expedition which was the fourth attempt to climb the mountain, also ended in failure, but members of the 1933 expedition did find an ice ax that belonged to Sandy Irvine high on the northeast ridge, though well below where Mallory was found. The boot's discovery suggests that more artifacts, possibly even the Kodak camera Irvine carried, might still be hidden on the mountain. 

Irvine was the youngest member of the 1924 expedition, known for his athletic prowess and mechanical skills. Despite criticism of his lack of mountaineering experience, he played a vital role in the expedition, particularly in improving the oxygen equipment. His disappearance has long intrigued climbers and historians, with various theories about his fate circulating over the years.

Chin and his team have turned the remains over to the China-Tibet Mountaineering Association and are working with the British Consulate to identify them definitively. Chin emphasized the importance of protecting the site from trophy hunters and expressed optimism about finding more artifacts related to Irvine's expedition.