A Sherpa guide named Dawa Sherpa defied the odds by surviving alone on Mount Everest for a week after going missing. On May 29, Dawa was last seen descending the mountain. However, he never made it to the base camp, although his client managed to reach safety. The climbing season was winding down, and he and his client were among the final climbers as the route got dismantled.
Courageous Discovery
A cleaning crew discovered Dawa crawling near the Khumbu Icefall, situated just above the base camp. Pemba Sherpa from 8K Expeditions, who coordinated the search, confirmed the news. The team quickly provided Dawa with essential food and water before transporting him to Kathmandu’s HAMS Hospital via a rescue helicopter. His family, who had sadly begun funeral proceedings, greeted him there.
“We first heard he was alive from the local news,” explained his wife, Damu Sherpa. She added that a friend called to confirm the news.
The delay in organizing a search party remained unexplained, but helicopters had initially failed to locate him during earlier attempts.
Family’s Emotional Reunion
Dawa’s daughter, Mendo Lhamu Sherpa, shared their disbelief upon hearing about the rescue. The family was conducting the second day of funeral rituals, not expecting the miracle unfolding. Only photos ensured the person rescued was indeed Dawa, providing the family much relief and joy.
Searching Party’s Role
The team responsible for finding him belonged to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee. Their task includes laying and dismantling ladders and ropes at the beginning and end of each climbing season. Dawa was last seen at the Yellow Band area, located above Camp 3 at an altitude of 7,200 meters (23,622 feet), while the base camp sits at 5,300 meters (17,388 feet).
At the age of 52, Dawa works with Himalayan Traverse, a small company in Kathmandu. Originally from Okhaldhunga, south of Everest, Dawa was guiding a Polish climber before his disappearance.
A Miraculous Survival
The mountaineering community in Nepal hailed Dawa’s survival as nothing short of miraculous. Ang Tshering Sherpa, a notable figure within this community, emphasized the toughness inherent in Sherpas raised in mountainous conditions.
“Sherpas are incredibly resilient,” Ang Tshering stated. “Someone else may not have survived.”
The Sherpa community, historically known for yak herding and trading, gained prominence as guides and porters after Nepal opened its borders in the 1950s. Their mountain expertise made them indispensable in the growing climbing industry.
Everest’s Busiest Season
This past May saw over 1,000 climbers and guides scale Everest, making it the busiest season on record. The season began late due to a massive ice block above the base camp, requiring more than two weeks to clear.
Mount Everest, at 8,849 meters (29,032 feet), was initially climbed by Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953.
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