ALBAWABA - It is thought that a boot discovered on Mount Everest by a National Geographic documentary crew may be that of British climber Andrew Comyn Irvine, who vanished a century ago while attempting to reach the peak.
The researchers discovered the boot in September while investigating the northern Rongbuk Glacier, according to the National Geographic website. The boot came to the surface as the ice thawed, exposing a foot and a woolen sock inside. The crew believes the bones may be those of Irvine, who disappeared in 1924 while climbing Everest with fellow climber George Mallory.
"When I lifted the sock inside the boot, I found a name tag that read 'A.C. IRVINE,'" said Jimmy Chin, the National Geographic photographer and videographer who spearheaded the discovery.
This was "the first significant clue" that might help solve the long-standing mystery of Irvine's fate, according to Chin. For Irvine's family, who have been looking for answers about his absence for decades, the finding is likewise seen as a turning point.
According to reports, Irvine's family has supplied DNA samples to verify whether the remains are those of the missing climber.
One of the most intriguing mysteries in climbing is the disappearance of Irvine and Mallory during their historic effort to become the first people to summit Everest. On June 8, 1924, the two were last saw heading toward the summit.
Although Mallory's corpse was found in 1999, the camera they were carrying—which may have been discovered if they made it to the summit—has never been located.
