India recovery mission for climber on Mount Everest

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police is planning a high-risk recovery mission to retrieve the remains of an Indian climber from Mount Everest. The body, located at approximately 8,500 meters in the ‘death zone’ on the Chinese side of the mountain, has been preserved in ice for nearly three decades.

While the remains were previously associated with the climber known as ‘Blue Boots’ or ‘Green Boots’ and thought to be Tsewang Paljor, recent evidence and radio records suggest the body belongs to Dorje Morup, a 48-year-old climber who died during a 1996 blizzard. The individual became a grim landmark for mountaineers due to the distinctive neon green Koflach boots they were wearing.

India is seeking a specialized high-altitude rescue agency to conduct the operation. The mission will require 10–12 experienced climbers to navigate steep, icy terrain to retrieve the remains. Morup’s wife, Konchak Yangskit, has expressed hope for the repatriation of her husband’s remains, noting that the absence of a body has made it difficult for the family to fully process his death.

Following the recovery, DNA testing will be conducted to confirm the identity before the remains are returned to Morup’s family in the Ladakh region for funeral rites.