Indian authorities are planning a high-altitude mission to recover the body of a mountaineer known on Everest as “Green Boots,” who died in 1996 and has remained on the mountain’s upper slopes for nearly 30 years. Reports describe the remains as being located in the “death zone” above about 8,000 metres, where conditions are extremely hazardous and most expeditions avoid extended time. The Guardian reports the climber was killed during a 1996 blizzard and that a recovery attempt could also help resolve lingering questions about the person’s identity.
NDTV says India’s Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is seeking a specialist agency to carry out the retrieval. The Independent likewise reports that Indian authorities are seeking to recover the body, framing it as a planned effort to bring the climber home. Other outlets reiterate that the remains have become a long-recognised landmark on Everest and that the operation faces major logistical and environmental challenges due to altitude and the difficulty of reaching the location. Separate coverage circulated by multiple sources refers to related proceedings around a 1996 Everest incident involving an Indian soldier, but the central described recovery plan targets “Green Boots” in the same general context.
