Dawa Sherpa, a 52-year-old Sherpa guide, was found alive after being missing for nearly a week on Mount Everest. He disappeared around May 29 while descending the mountain after guiding a Polish climber who reached base camp safely. A cleanup crew from the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee discovered him crawling through the Khumbu Icefall, a dangerous area near base camp, on Thursday morning. Rescuers provided him with food and water before transporting him by helicopter to a hospital in Kathmandu, where his family awaited news.
His daughter, Mendo Lhamu Sherpa, stated that the family was in the midst of funeral rites when they learned of his rescue through local news reports and calls from friends. Dawa was found wearing his climbing jacket and is currently being treated for frostbite and other complications but is conscious and able to communicate. The Nepal Mount Everest hiking company described his survival as extraordinary, noting that he survived without food, water, or supplemental oxygen for nearly a week. The circumstances surrounding his separation from his client and the delay in initiating a search remain unclear. This season, over 1,000 climbers reached the summit of Everest, with reports indicating that five climbers and guides died during the climbing season.