The Oxford-based great-niece of a British mountaineer said she was 'moved to tears' after his remains were believed to have been found on Everest, after 100 years of speculation surrounding his disappearance.
Andrew “Sandy” Irvine was the youngest member of the 1924 Mount Everest expedition and was lost on the upper slopes of the mountain with George Mallory when the two vanished on June 8 that year.
They were last seen when they were about 800 feet from the summit.
The mystery of whether the duo reached the top before their death has been debated by climbers and historians for decades.
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In the latest development, a sock embroidered with “AC Irvine” and a boot have been discovered on the Central Rongbuk Glacier below the North Face of Mount Everest by a team funded by National Geographic Documentary Films for an upcoming documentary.
Irvine’s great-niece and biographer, Julie Summers, who lives in Oxford, said she had been “moved to tears” when she found out about the discovery.
“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,” 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.
“When Jimmy told me that he saw the name AC Irvine on the label on the sock inside the boot, I found myself moved to tears. It was and will remain an extraordinary and poignant moment.”
The Irvine family has volunteered to compare DNA test results with the remains to confirm his identity.
The sock and boot were found at a lower altitude than Mallory’s remains, which were located in 1999 by climber Conrad Anker, and are now in the possession of the China Tibet Mountaineering Association, which is responsible for climbing permits on Everest’s northern side.
Climb team member and National Geographic Explorer Jimmy Chin said: “Sometimes in life, the greatest discoveries occur when you aren’t even looking.
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“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.”
Professor Joe Smith, director of the Royal Geographical Society, said of the discovery: “As 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 Himalaya.”
An Irvine family statement said: “We are grateful to the mountaineering and film team, led by Jimmy Chin, who made the discovery and who have treated it with respect and professionalism.”
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