The partial remains of a British explorer who went missing on Mount Everest in 1924 are thought to have been found 100 years on.
Andrew ‘Sandy’ Irvine vanished aged 22 while attempting to conquer the world’s tallest peak on June 8, 1924, along with his climbing partner, renowned mountaineer George Mallory.
But the mystery of his whereabouts now appears to have been solved - after climbers discovered partial remains with his name stitched into a sock.
The discovery was made by a small team which included National Geographic explorer, Jimmy Chin and filmmakers Erich Roepke and Mark Fisher.
They found what is believed to be Irvine’s foot, encased in a sock and boot, on the Central Rongbuk Glacier below the North Face of Everest.
The remains are at a lower altitude than where climbing partner Mallory’s remains were located by a climber in 1999.
The partial remains are now in the possession of the China Tibet Mountaineering Association, which is responsible for climbing permits on Everest’s northern side.
The find was reported to the Royal Geographical Society - who jointly organised Mallory and Irvine’s expedition and with the Irvine family - who volunteered to compare DNA results with the remains to confirm Irvine’s identity.
“Any expedition to Everest follows in the shadow of Irvine and Mallory,” said Chin.
“We certainly did. And sometimes in life the greatest discoveries occur when you aren’t even looking.
“This was a monumental and emotional moment for us and our entire team on the ground, and we just hope this can finally bring peace of mind to his relatives and the climbing world at large.”
Irvine’s great niece and biographer, Julie Summers, said the discovery was “an extraordinary and poignant moment.”
“It is remarkable that this discovery was made in the centenary year of Sandy’s disappearance,” she said. “I have lived with this story since I was a seven-year-old when my father told us about the mystery of Uncle Sandy on Everest.
“The story became more real when climbers found the body of George Mallory in 1999, and I wondered if Sandy’s body would be discovered next. A quarter of a century after that discovery, it seemed extremely unlikely that anything new would be found.
“When Jimmy told me that he saw the name A.C. Irvine on the label on the sock inside the boot, I found myself moved to tears.”
According to the expedition invoices, Irvine’s boots were made by James S Carter, who had a store just off London’s Oxford Street.
Professor Joe Smith, director of the Royal Geographical Society, which helped organise Irvine’s 1924 expedition, said it “deeply appreciates the respect” the climbers had shown towards Irvine’s remains.
“Sandy was an exceptional figure and made a significant contribution to our understanding of Everest and the Himalaya,” he said.
“This discovery of his remains provides an element of closure for his relatives and the wider mountaineering community, and we are grateful to Jimmy and his team for enabling this and ensuring Sandy is in safe hands.
“The Society will continue to assist Jimmy, his team and Sandy’s extended family during what will inevitably be a period of intense global interest.”
