Extreme weather on Everest behind Mallory and Irvine’s disappearance?

WASHINGTON - Scientists believe they know why George Mallory and Andrew Irvine never returned from their pioneering expedition on the Everest.

They suggest that extreme weather may have contributed to their disappearance.

George Mallory and Andrew ‘Sandy’ Irvine disappeared during their historic 1924 attempt to reach the summit of Everest, last seen on June 8th on Everest’s Northeast Ridge.

A study of barometric pressures found a large drop at base camp of approximately 18mbar.

“We concluded that Mallory and Irvine most likely encountered a very intense storm as they made their way towards the summit,” Professor G.W.K Moore of the Physics Department at the University of Toronto.

“Mount Everest is so high that there is barely enough oxygen near its summit to sustain life and a drop of pressure of 4 mbar at the summit is sufficient to drive individuals into a hypoxic state,” said Dr. John Semple, Chief of Surgery at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto.

The authors conclude that with the additional stresses they were under with extreme cold, high winds and the uncertainly of their route, the pressure drop and the ensuring hypoxia contributed to the Mallory and Irving’s death.

This research is important to aspiring mountaineers who wish take on the world’s great mountains.

The research is published in Weather. (ANI)