A remarkable story of survival recently unfolded on Mount Everest. Dawa Sherpa, a 52-year-old Sherpa guide, was found alive nearly a week after going missing on the mountain. He survived without food, water, or supplemental oxygen, prompting rescuers to describe his survival as miraculous.
Dawa disappeared on May 29 while descending Everest, having turned back before reaching the summit with a Polish climber. The climber safely reached base camp, but Dawa did not, leading to fears of his death. A team from the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee discovered Dawa crawling through the perilous Khumbu Icefall, a dangerous section just above base camp. It was Thursday morning when Pemba Sherpa of 8K Expeditions informed The Associated Press about the discovery.
Rescuers immediately transported him to safety, offering food and water before airlifting him to a hospital in Kathmandu. There, his wife and daughter awaited his arrival. His family had been grieving, having started funeral rituals when news of his survival reached them. His teenage daughter, Mendo Lhamu Sherpa, expressed initial disbelief, requesting photos to confirm her father’s identity before feeling relief and joy.
Dawa’s wife, Damu Sherpa, recounts learning he was alive through local news and a friend’s call. Dawa was still in his climbing gear when found and is receiving treatment for frostbite and other complications. Despite this, he is conscious and able to communicate, as confirmed by his daughter’s statement.
“He recognized me … is good and speaks,” she told Reuters. “We are happy.”
The hiking company praised Dawa’s survival as extraordinary, highlighting the challenges of the Khumbu Icefall after seasonal fixed ladders were removed. The circumstances of his separation from the client and the delay in launching a search remain unclear. Helicopters were eventually used but failed to find him before he was located by the cleanup crew.
Dawa’s rescue concludes a record-breaking Everest climbing season with over 1,000 climbers and guides reaching the summit. Nepal issued a record 494 permits this year. Unfortunately, five climbers and guides lost their lives on Everest during the same period, according to Reuters.
Leave a Reply