Historic Discovery: Andrew Irvine’s Remains Found on Mount Everest, Solving Century-Old Mystery

Breakthrough Discovery on Everest

A remarkable discovery has been made on Mount Everest as a sock embroidered with ‘A.C. Irvine’ along with a boot was found on the Central Rongbuk Glacier below the North Face of Mount Everest by a team led by Jimmy Chin in September 2024. This represents the first possible proof of Irvine’s death since his disappearance in 1924.

The Historical Context

In 1924, British explorer Andrew Comyn Irvine—nicknamed Sandy—and his partner George Mallory attempted to become the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Their disappearance sparked a decades-long mystery in the mountaineering world.

Irvine was just 22 years old when he vanished on June 8, 1924, alongside his climbing partner, mountaineer George Mallory, 37. The remains, believed to be those of Irvine, were found on the Central Rongbuk Glacier beneath Everest’s North Face, including a foot still inside a sock and boot.

The Discovery Team

The groundbreaking discovery was made by a National Geographic team comprising explorer Jimmy Chin, a photographer, director, and climber, along with filmmakers Erich Roepke and Mark Fisher. The team confirmed identification through a sock bearing Irvine’s name.

Scientific and Historical Significance

This discovery has significant implications for Mount Everest’s history. While the first officially documented ascent of the peak occurred in May 1953 by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary, if Irvine and Mallory had succeeded in their expedition 29 years earlier, they would have been the first people to reach the world’s highest summit.

Family Response and Future Plans

The Irvine family has expressed deep emotion upon hearing of the discovery. They have praised the mountaineering and film team led by Jimmy Chin for their respectful and professional handling of the finding. The remains are now in the custody of the China Tibet Mountaineering Association.

Family members have offered to provide DNA samples to verify the remains. According to the team, the boot was remarkably well-preserved, likely having thawed from a frozen glacier just a week before its discovery. While initially considered leaving it in place, concerns about potential damage from wildlife and natural elements led to its recovery, and arrangements are being made to transfer the boot to Irvine’s family.