A Sherpa guide who went missing while descending Mount Everest has been found crawling back to base camp after a week. Dawa Sherpa, 52, disappeared on May 29 while descending the mountain with his client as the climbing season was ending.
Dawa, also known as Hillary Dawa Sherpa, was discovered by a cleaning crew above base camp on the snowy slopes. His family had given up hope of finding him alive and had started funeral rituals. However, he was found with frostbite on his hands but in relatively good health.
Pemba Sherpa from 8K Expeditions, who coordinated the search, stated that Dawa was located near the Khumbu Icefall and was slowly descending towards safety. He was then airlifted to HAMS Hospital in Kathmandu for medical treatment and to reunite with his family.
Dawa’s wife, Damu Sherpa, expressed her disbelief and joy upon hearing the news of his rescue. Their daughter, Mendo Lhamu, initially had doubts but was reassured after receiving photos confirming his survival.
Dawa, who was guiding a Polish climber, vanished near Yellow Band above Camp 3, approximately 1,900 meters from the base camp. Hailing from Okhaldhunga, south of Everest, he miraculously survived his ordeal, with members of Nepal’s mountaineering community describing it as a remarkable feat.
Ang Tshering Sherpa, a prominent figure in the mountaineering community, praised Dawa’s resilience, attributing his survival to the toughness instilled by growing up in the mountains.
