He's been frozen on Everest for 30 years, now 'Green Boots' may finally be coming home

What the report says

India is preparing a possible recovery mission for the frozen body long known to Everest climbers as “Green Boots,” with authorities now believing the remains may be those of Indian mountaineer Dorje Morup. BBC News reports that Morup, a lance corporal with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, died in 1996 during a Himalayan expedition that attempted to reach the summit from the Chinese side of Mount Everest. For years, the body in green boots near the route to the top was widely assumed to be another climber, but testimony from survivors and other identifying details have led officials to reconsider that view.

Morup’s family in Ladakh has lived with uncertainty for three decades. His wife told the BBC she never fully accepted his death because his body was never recovered, and she hopes that if he returns, the family can finally have closure. The ITBP is now said to be seeking a specialist high-altitude team to bring the body down, with plans for DNA testing in India if the recovery succeeds.

The report highlights how difficult such missions are on Everest, especially on the steeper north side where support is limited and weather can be unpredictable. Bodies in the mountain’s “death zone” can be hard to move and the work is expensive and dangerous, often requiring many experienced climbers. The case also reflects a broader issue on Everest, where many who die on the mountain remain there for years or are never recovered.