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Human foot found on Everest may hold key to one of mountaineering’s greatest mysteries

When a National Geographic documentary team discovered a boot and sock sticking out of a melting glacier on Mount Everest in September, they almost immediately recognized its significance as a clue to a century-old mystery.

A name label still stitched onto the woollen sock read “A.C. Irvine,” revealing that it probably belonged to British climber Andrew “Sandy” Irvine.

Irvine’s disappearance on Everest in 1924, alongside his compatriot George Mallory, is one of mountaineering’s biggest mysteries – with a solution that has the potential to change history.

While Mallory’s body was discovered in 1999, neither Irvine’s body nor the camera that the climbers were carrying, which might reveal whether they reached the summit, have ever been found.

That is, until this latest expedition, when the National Geographic team, which included “Free Solo” co-director Jimmy Chin, discovered a foot inside what they believe is Irvine’s boot.

While they are waiting for DNA confirmation, comparing samples from the foot with ones taken from members of Irvine’s family, it appears to be the first evidence of his death since his disappearance.

The sock was labeled with the name "A.C. Irvine."
The sock was labeled with the name “A.C. Irvine.”  Jimmy Chin/National Geographic/PA Media

“It’s the first real evidence of where Sandy ended up,” Chin said, according to National Geographic. “A lot of theories have been put out there.

“When someone disappears and there’s no evidence of what happened to them, it can be really challenging for families. And just having some definitive information of where Sandy might’ve ended up is certainly (helpful), and also a big clue for the climbing community as to what happened.”

A few days before they found the boot, the team discovered an oxygen cylinder from a 1933 expedition that had also attempted to scale Mount Everest. Though that expedition failed, it had found an ice ax belonging to Irvine on the mountain’s northeast ridge, leading Chin’s team to speculate that they might be close to his body.

Following that hypothesis, they spent the next few days scouring the glacier, until filmmaker and climber Erich Roepke spotted the boot.

“I think it literally melted out a week before we found it,” said Chin.

Chin and the team took the boot and foot off the mountain in a cooler when they noticed birds disturbing it and gave it to the China-Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA).

Irvine was 22 years old when he disappeared on Mount Everest.
Irvine was 22 years old when he disappeared on Mount Everest.  Mount Everest Foundation/Royal Geographical Society via Getty Images

Shortly after their discovery, the team informed Irvine’s family, including his great-niece Julie Summers, who has written a book about the climber.

Summers was “moved to tears” when she learnt of the boot’s existence in an “extraordinary and poignant moment,” she said, according to the PA Media news agency.

“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 added.

“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.”

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. In addition to his media ventures, Solomon serves as a Brand Ambassador for Alabuga, a prominent Russian industrial company, representing their interests and expansion across Africa. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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