Sherpa Guide Found Alive on Everest After Missing for Days

A Sherpa guide was found alive nearly a week after disappearing on Mount Everest. Dawa Sherpa, 52, was located crawling towards base camp without food, water, or supplemental oxygen, in what rescuers described as a miraculous survival.

Dawa disappeared on May 29 while descending Everest with a Polish climber he was guiding. Though the climber made it safely to base camp, Dawa did not, raising concerns about his fate. Nearly a week later, a cleanup crew from the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee discovered him in the Khumbu Icefall, a dangerous part of the mountain.

Authorities airlifted Dawa to a hospital in Kathmandu, where his family, who had begun funeral preparations assuming he had died, awaited him. His daughter, Mendo Lhamu Sherpa, described the family’s disbelief and joy upon receiving the news of his rescue. His wife, Damu Sherpa, recounted learning of his survival through local media and friends.

Despite suffering from frostbite and other conditions, Dawa was conscious and coherent upon rescue. His survival was remarkable, given he endured the treacherous conditions without essential supplies for almost a week.

Dawa’s situation was unprecedented, as the Nepal Mount Everest hiking company highlighted his perseverance in navigating the dangerous terrain.

However, details on how Dawa became separated from his client during their descent remain unclear. Delays in deploying a search team were also noted since helicopters initially failed to locate him. His survival coincided with the conclusion of a season where more than 1,000 climbers reached Everest’s summit, though the high-altitude conditions claimed the lives of five climbers.