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Climbing Everest is hard. Recovering a body from near its summit will be even harder
CNN • • world
Key Points:
- The frozen body known as "Green Boots" on Mount Everest has been identified as Dorje Morup, an Indian mountaineer and border police officer who died during a 1996 storm near the summit.
- Morup, along with two other Indian climbers, attempted to summit Everest via the challenging northern route from Tibet, but were caught in a deadly storm that claimed multiple lives on both sides of the mountain.
- In 2023, a covert Sherpa team retrieved DNA samples from Morup's body to confirm his identity, prompting the Indian government to plan a risky recovery mission to bring his remains home.
- The planned retrieval faces significant challenges including extreme altitude, technical difficulties in moving a frozen body, diplomatic hurdles with China, and ethical considerations about risking lives for body recovery.
- The mission, expected to take place during the 2027 climbing season, aims to provide closure to Morup's family and honor his sacrifice, highlighting the ongoing human and cultural dimensions behind Everest's many mountaineering tragedies.
