Andrew Irvine and the boot with a sock embroidered with “A.C. Irvine”.
Credit: Jimmy Chin/ National Geographic/ PA
The remains of a British explorer who was last seen 8oo feet from the summit of Mount Everest are believed to have been found. Andrew ‘Sandy’ Irvine, 22 at the time of his disappearance, was the youngest member of the 1924 Mount Everest expedition. He became lost on the mountain’s upper slopes with another explorer, George Mallory on June 8th 1924. Speculation has always surrounded his disappearance as many have questioned if Irvine and Mallory reached the top before they died. It’s been debated by historians and climbers for decades. The finding is the first possible proof of the 22-year-old adventurer’s death since the ill-fated 1924 expedition that he may have been the first to summit the 8,849-metre mountain.
Andrew Irvine’s belongings also found on Everest
A sock embroidered with the initials ‘AC Irvine’ was also found tucked inside a boot near the human remains. Mallory’s remains were found in 1999 and are now in the possession of the China Tibet Mountaineering Association, which is responsible for climbing permits on Everest’s northern side. Irvine’s remains were discovered at a slightly lower altitude than Mallory’s. The partial remains were discovered by a team of explorers who have been funded by National Geographic Documentary Films to make an upcoming documentary. Jimmy Chin, a member of the team and a National Geographic explorer, was the man who found the remains. He stated, “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.”
Royal Geographical Society makes statement
Professor Joe Smith, director of the Royal Geographical Society, said of the discovery: “As a joint organiser of the 1924 Everest expedition (with the Alpine Club), the society deeply appreciates the respect Jimmy Chin’s team has shown Sandy Irvine’s remains and their sensitivity toward Sandy’s family members and others connected to that expedition.”Sandy was an exceptional figure and made a significant contribution to our understanding of Everest and the Himalayas.”
The British explorer’s family speak out
Irvine’s great-niece, Julie Summers, who is a biographer, said she had been “moved to tears” when she heard her great uncle’s remains had been discovered. “I have lived with this story since I was seven years old when my father told us about the mystery of Uncle Sandy on Everest,” she said. “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.” The family have volunteered to give their DNA so a formal identification can be carried out.
