The Mystery Of 'Green Boots': After 30 Years, DNA Finally Reveals Identity Of Man Frozen On Mt Everest's 'Death Zone' For Decades

The 30-year-old mystery of ‘Green Boots' in the ‘death zone’ of Mount Everest has finally been solved. For almost three decades, the frozen body of a climber wearing bright, lime-green Koflach mountaineering boots haunted the Northeast Ridge of the mountains.

The Mystery Of ‘Green Boots’

Tucked inside a small limestone alcove at roughly 26,246 feet (8,500 meters), ‘Green Boots’ has been lying fully clothed and frozen in his eternal sleep for 30 years in the ‘death zone’ as a haunting reminder of the harsh climate for every climber pushing towards the summit.

His body acts as a landmark used by many climbers to comprehend that they have reached 8,848 metres above the sea leave and are just 350 metres shy from the summit.

How Did Green Boots Die?

'Green Boots' had lost his life during the violent 1996 storm.

As many as eight climbers had lost their lives in the brutal blizzard that stuck Mount Everest in May 1996. The deceased included three officers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

A six-member ITBP expedition was attempting to reach the Summit when they got caught up in the blizzard. Three of them turned back, while 47-year-old Dorje Morup, 28-year-old Tsewang Paljor and Tsewang Samanla decided to continue climbing towards the summit.

The trio succumbed to the deadly blizzard.

Mistaken Identity

Following the tragedy, the dead body of the man wearing the green boots was not identified. Because the boots matched the gear worn by Indian climber Tsewang Paljor, the world universally, but incorrectly, assumed that the body was his. Paljor had also perished with Green Boots on the same day in the same blizzard.

The true identity of ‘Green Boots’ remained lost to the ice.

DNA Reveals Green Boots' Real Identity

A DNA test has finally put an end to the speculation around Green Boots' identity. Official DNA verification confirmed that the remains actually belonged to ITBP Lance Naik Dorje Morup.

India Plans To Retrieve Green Boots' Body

Years after the tragedy, India is planning to launch a fresh expedition to retrieve the body of Green Boots from the ‘death zone’. This would be one of the most technically demanding recovery operations ever attempted on Everest, "double the danger of normal climbing," CBS News reported, quoting Nepal-based Everest Sherpa Expedition Founder Tshiring Jangbu Sherpa.

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