A team of mountaineers has announced that they will be able to find new clues in the century-old mystery surrounding the disappearance of British mountaineer Andrew Comyn “Sandy” Irvine in 1924. A preserved sock was found inside the sock. Boots that appeared after the ice melted.
A team led by Oscar-winning director Jimmy Chin, in partnership with National Geographic, made the discovery last month while descending the central Rongbuk Glacier on Everest’s north face.
Mr Irvine, who was just 22 years old at the time of his disappearance, was part of the third British expedition to climb Mount Everest. He and his climbing partner George Mallory were last seen alive on June 8, 1924, when they set out on their adventure.
Family members provide DNA samples
The boots, along with the socks that served as conclusive evidence, were sent to the China-Tibet Mountaineering Association, which is responsible for issuing permits for climbing on the north side of Everest. Additionally, the London-based Royal Geographical Society received a report of the discovery. Author Julie Summers, Irvine’s great-niece and his biographer, was also impressed by the discovery.
The family has now provided a DNA sample to determine if the boots really belonged to Irvine. “It’s remarkable that this discovery was made in the year that marks the 100th anniversary of Sandy’s disappearance,” Summers said. “I have lived with this story ever since my father told me about the mystery of Uncle Sandy on Everest when I was 7 years old.
The story became even more real for Summers when Mallory’s body was discovered in 1999. She wondered if Sandy’s body would be found next. A quarter of a century after its discovery, the idea seemed highly unlikely. “When Jimmy told me he had seen AC Irvine’s name on the sock label inside his boots, I found myself moved to tears. It will remain an emotional moment,” Summers added.
accidental discovery
Chin described the breakthrough as a monumental and emotional moment for his team, including filmmakers Erich Ropke and Mark Fisher. “We found an oxygen bottle with the date 1933 marked on it.” The 1933 British Expedition to Everest was the fourth such attempt. The expedition was unsuccessful, but climbers discovered Irvine’s belongings nine years after he went missing.
Finding the oxygen tank led Chin’s teammates to believe that Irvine’s body could not be far away. The boots were discovered after several days of searching. The researchers estimate that the ice melted just a week ago to make this fortuitous discovery possible.
