A discovery on Mount Everest has reignited interest in one of mountaineering’s oldest mysteries, as a foot believed to belong to British climber Andrew Comyn “Sandy” Irvine was uncovered after nearly a century.
Irvine, who disappeared in June 1924 while attempting to conquer Everest with his partner George Mallory, had remained elusive—unlike Mallory, whose body was found decades ago.
However, last month, an expedition filming a National Geographic documentary stumbled across the foot, revealed by melting ice on the Central Rongbuk Glacier.
Led by renowned adventurer and filmmaker Jimmy Chin, the team described the find as both “monumental and emotional.”
The boot encasing the foot bore an embroidered label with Irvine’s initials—”A.C. Irvine”—suggesting it could belong to the young climber, who was just 22 when he vanished.
British authorities are now working to verify the remains through DNA testing, although Chin’s team is confident in their discovery.
“I mean, dude… there’s a label on it,” Chin remarked, underscoring the personal and historical significance of the find.
The pair’s ill-fated expedition in 1924 has long haunted the mountaineering world, with speculation that they may have reached Everest’s summit 29 years before Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s historic 1953 ascent.
Irvine was said to have carried a camera, and many believe undeveloped film could settle the debate once and for all.
Yet, despite numerous attempts to locate him over the years, Irvine’s remains had eluded discovery—until now.
The chance find occurred when Chin’s team was descending the north face of Everest in September.
Along their route, they discovered an oxygen bottle marked “1933”—a relic of a subsequent expedition that had found items belonging to Irvine.
Motivated by this potential clue, they intensified their search. After several days combing the glacier, one climber noticed the boot sticking out from the ice—ice that had only melted recently, possibly within the past week.
To protect the remains from scavenging ravens, the foot has since been handed over to Chinese mountaineering authorities, who oversee the north face of Everest.
Julie Summers, a descendant of Irvine, was deeply affected by the news, describing it as an “extraordinary and poignant moment.” Chin personally informed her of the discovery, which left her “moved to tears.”
In his reflection on the moment, Chin, famed for directing the Oscar-winning documentary ‘Free Solo’, emphasized the serendipity of the find, “Sometimes in life the greatest discoveries occur when you aren’t even looking.” He hopes this moment brings long-awaited closure for Irvine’s family and for the climbing community at large.
The disappearance of Irvine and Mallory on June 8, 1924, as they approached the summit, has remained a topic of intense fascination.
Mallory’s body was discovered in 1999 by an American climber, sparking further searches for Irvine’s remains.
However, rumours have circulated in recent decades that the bodies were moved, adding an element of controversy to the ongoing quest to solve Everest’s enduring mystery.
For now, the discovery offers a tantalizing possibility—one that could answer whether Irvine and Mallory were indeed the first to conquer the world’s highest peak.
