Filmmaker Jimmy Chin and his team discovered a boot on Mount Qomolangma, possibly belonging to British mountaineer Andrew Irvine, who vanished during a 1924 summit attempt. The boot, found with human remains, may provide clues to Irvine's fate, with DNA testing underway for confirmation.
BEIJING, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- A boot potentially belonging to British mountaineer Andrew Irvine, who perished during an early attempt to climb Mount Qomolangma in 1924, has been discovered on the north face of the peak in Xizang Autonomous Region, China. The find was announced by Oscar-winning filmmaker and outdoor photographer Jimmy Chin during an interview with National Geographic.
Chin and his team, which included filmmakers and climbers Erich Roepke and Mark Fisher, were shooting a documentary project for National Geographic in September when they stumbled upon the boot on the broad expanse of the Central Rongbuk Glacier. They found human remains inside, leading them to believe the boot belonged to Irvine.
"I lifted up the sock, and there's a red label that has A.C. IRVINE stitched into it," Chin told National Geographic. He and his team immediately recognized the significance of the discovery.
Irvine and fellow climber George Mallory were among the first to attempt reaching the summit of the world's highest peak. A British expedition began exploring routes up the north face of Qomolangma in 1921, followed by unsuccessful summits in 1922 and 1924.
On June 8, 1924, Mallory and Irvine set out toward the peak. They were last seen by teammates near the "Second Step" at about 8,600 meters, when the clouds briefly parted. Irvine was just 22 years old at the time.
Mallory's remains were found in 1999, but Irvine's fate has remained unknown. His camera, which he carried during the climb, is thought to contain important evidence regarding their ascent, making the search for Irvine's remains a significant focus for the climbing community.
Chin believes this discovery is the first evidence of Irvine's final whereabouts. He noted that a few days after finding the boot, they observed ravens disturbing it, prompting him to contact the Xizang Autonomous Region Mountaineering Association (CTMA) to ask if they could remove it from the mountain. After receiving permission, they transported the boot in a cooler and handed it to the CTMA.
In the interview with National Geographic, Chin refrained from revealing the exact location of the discovery to prevent "trophy hunters" from flocking to the area.
Chin also has obtained a DNA sample from the remains and reached out to Irvine's family. National Geographic reported that Irvine's family has voluntarily provided DNA samples for comparison.
Julie Summers, Irvine's great-niece, speculated in a conversation with National Geographic that the boot and remains may have been swept down by an avalanche.
Attempts to contact the CTMA and Jimmy Chin for further comments on next-step plans have yet to yield responses. ■