The mystery surrounding the disappearance of climbers George Mallory and Andrew “Sandy” Irvine, who vanished near the summit of Everest in 1924, is potentially nearing resolution after 100 years. New discoveries from their ill-fated expedition have come to light.
Andrew Irvine, the youngest member of the 1924 Everest expedition, disappeared alongside George Mallory on June 8, 1924, as they attempted to become the first people to summit the world’s highest peak. The question of whether they reached the top before their deaths has puzzled climbers and historians for decades.
Huge news from the Himalayas! Another twist in one of mountaineering's great sagas.. #everest #sandyirvine #malloryandirvine https://t.co/sbyhL43iIK
— Trek & Mountain (@TrekandMountain) October 11, 2024
This week, some of Irvine’s remains were found, including a sock embroidered with his initials, “AC Irvine,” and a boot discovered in the Central Rongbuk Glacier, below the North Face, by a team filming a documentary. Mallory’s frozen body had been found 20 years earlier on Everest.
The discovery offers the first substantial clues regarding Irvine’s death during the deadly expedition to the 8,849-meter summit. Irvine’s family has volunteered to compare DNA tests with the remains to confirm his identity.
It’s noteworthy that Irvine’s sock and boot were found at a lower altitude than Mallory’s remains, which were located in 1999 by climber Conrad Anker. These remains are now in the custody of the China-Tibet Mountaineering Association, responsible for issuing climbing permits on Everest’s northern side.
Professional climber and filmmaker Jimmy Chin, known for his 2018 documentary Free Solo, led the National Geographic team that discovered Irvine’s sock and boot. Chin remarked, “This is the first real evidence of where Sandy ended up. Many theories have been proposed.”
The Everest mystery resurfaces
Mallory’s body was found just 670 meters below the summit, alongside part of his climbing gear and a wristwatch, in 1999. This brings back the question that has haunted the climbing community: Did Irvine and Mallory perish during a victorious descent after reaching the summit, or did they die while still trying to climb?
Mallory’s camera, which might have contained proof of their summit attempt, has never been found. A photograph of Mallory’s wife, Ruth, which he promised to leave at the summit, was also missing, raising suspicions that they may have succeeded in their climb.
For now, the answer remains a “secret” known only to the two climbers.
