A Sherpa mountain guide who went missing on Mount Everest was discovered making his way back to base camp after a week of disappearance. Dawa Sherpa, also known as Hillary Dawa Sherpa, vanished while descending the mountain on May 29. He was found by a cleaning crew crawling down the snowy slopes just above the base camp.
Dawa, 52, was located near the Khumbu Icefall with frostbite on his hands but in overall good health. Pemba Sherpa of 8K Expeditions, who led the search operation, mentioned that Dawa was slowly descending towards safety. He was provided with food and water at the camp before being airlifted to HAMS Hospital in Kathmandu to reunite with his family.
His family had already started a funeral ritual for him when the news of his survival reached them. His daughter, Mendo Lhamu Sherpa, expressed initial disbelief but was overjoyed after confirming his identity through photos.
Dawa, who hails from Okhaldhunga town, guided a Polish climber for Himalayan Traverse, a Kathmandu-based company, before he went missing. His miraculous survival on the mountain, enduring harsh conditions for days, was praised by members of Nepal’s mountaineering community.
Ang Tshering Sherpa, a prominent figure in the community, described Dawa’s survival as a miracle, attributing it to the resilience of Sherpas raised in mountainous regions. He emphasized that Dawa’s toughness and experience were vital in his survival, highlighting the challenging circumstances he faced during his ordeal.