Miraculous Survival of Sherpa Guide on Mount Everest

A Sherpa guide missing for several days on Mount Everest has been found alive. Dawa Sherpa, 52, was located while descending to base camp. His survival is deemed a “miracle” by Nepal’s mountaineering community.

Dawa was last seen on May 29 but did not reach base camp while his client did. He was crawling around Khumbu Icefall when discovered by a cleaning crew. Pemba Sherpa of 8K Expeditions coordinated the search effort. Dawa was swiftly carried to safety and provided food and water.

A rescue helicopter flew him to HAMS Hospital in Kathmandu. His family, who had assumed he was deceased, had already started funeral rituals. “We first learned of his survival from local news,” said his wife, Damu Sherpa. His daughter, Mendo Lhamu Sherpa, expressed joy at confirming the news with photos.

Dawa had been missing since last week, and organizing a search team was initially delayed without specified reasons.

Dawa’s recovery includes treatment for frostbite. The search crew came from the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee responsible for seasonal route maintenance.

He was last seen at Yellow Band above Camp 3, at 23,622 feet. The base camp lies at 17,388 feet altitude. Dawa, guiding a Polish climber, is from Okhaldhunga, south of Everest.

Sherpas, originally yak herders and traders, became renowned guides after Nepal’s borders opened in the 1950s. Their expertise makes them vital in Himalayan climbing ventures.

This May marked the busiest climbing season with over 1,000 climbers scaling Everest. The season began late due to a massive ice block clearing delay. May 21 saw a record of 274 climbers reaching the summit in one day. Yet, overcrowding raises concerns about safety and inexperienced climbers attempting the trek.

Kami Rita Sherpa stressed the importance of limiting climber numbers to ensure quality and safety. The 29,032-foot Everest was first conquered on May 29, 1953, by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay.