Indian force seeks recovery of ‘Green Boots’ body from Everest north face

Indian authorities are preparing a high-altitude recovery mission to retrieve the body believed to be Dorje Morup, the climber long associated with the notorious “Green Boots” landmark on Mount Everest’s north side, and return his remains to family for identification and DNA testing, officials say. The remains lie near 8,500 metres beneath an overhanging rock on the Chinese (north) side of the peak; Chinese records show Morup reached the summit on 10 May 1996 and the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have used clothing and gear to link the site to him.

The ITBP, which is funding the operation, is seeking specialist high-altitude Sherpa rescue teams to carry out the recovery by September, the force told the BBC through an anonymous official. Morup, a lance naik aged 48 at the time of the expedition, summited with teammates Tsewang Smanla and Tsewang Paljor but all three died in a descending blizzard; two bodies were never found and the third has been a frozen landmark for decades.

Officials say the goal is to confirm identity through DNA testing and return the remains to the family in Ladakh if confirmed. Morup’s wife, Konchak Yangskit, and son, Punchok Dorjai, have preserved his summit certificate issued by Chinese authorities; the family plans a funeral in Leh should the recovery and identification be completed.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The available reporting indicates the ITBP has identified the north-face remains as likely belonging to Dorje Morup based on clothing, gear and last radio contact; the force is now arranging funding and specialist teams to execute a technically difficult retrieval. Sources describe the north route as steeper and less supported than the Nepal side, and recovery will require rope fixing teams and manpower to carry the frozen remains to an altitude suitable for helicopter or ground transport. The ITBP’s intent is DNA confirmation and repatriation to the family.

Mountaineers and recovery specialists cited in the reporting emphasise steep terrain, extreme cold, limited evacuation options from the Chinese side and the logistical challenge of moving heavily iced remains down thousands of metres. Estimates in the coverage place straightforward recoveries in the tens of thousands of dollars, and teams say the initial descent from the site is the most hazardous phase.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• ITBP is organising a recovery mission to retrieve remains believed to be Dorje Morup, known as “Green Boots.”
• Remains are located around 8,500 metres on Everest’s north (Chinese) side and were linked to Morup by clothing, gear and summit records from 10 May 1996.
• Recovery faces severe technical, weather and evacuation challenges; DNA testing is planned to confirm identity before returning the body to family in Ladakh.