Andrew Irvine remains found on Mount Everest by Jimmy Chin and Nat Geo

After 100 years of speculation, the remains of one of the first Britons to climb Mount Everest have been discovered by a group making a Nat Geo feature film, including Oscar winner Jimmy Chin.

The group was filming the upcoming documentary when they found what was believed to be the foot trapped in a sock and boot of Andrew Irvine, who disappeared on Everest in 1924 with his partner George Mallory. They were part of the third British expedition to attempt to climb the world's highest mountain and would have been the first to do so.

According to Nat Geo, Free solo Researcher Chin and his team found the foot on the central Rongbuk Glacier below the north face of Everest, at a lower altitude than Mallory's remains. The partial remains – identified by his name sewn into the sock – are now in the possession of the China Tibet Mountaineering Association, which is responsible for climbing permits on the north side of Everest. Mallory's body was discovered by mountaineer Conrad Anker in 1999, but Irvine's remains have never been found.

The team reported the find to the Royal Geographical Society and Irvine's family was informed. The Irvine family volunteered to compare the DNA test results with the remains to confirm Irvine's identity.

Chin was with filmmakers Erich Roepke and Mark Fisher, filming an upcoming documentary that he is co-directing with colleagues Free solo Director E. Chai Vasarhelyi for her banner Little Monster Films.

“Any expedition to Everest follows in the shadow of Irvine and Mallory,” Chin said. “We definitely did that. And sometimes in life the greatest discoveries happen without you looking. This was a monumental and emotional moment for us and our entire team on site, and we only hope that this can finally bring peace of mind to his relatives and the entire climbing world.”