Miraculous Self-Rescue: Missing Everest Guide Spotted Crawling to Base Camp

A Nepali climbing guide who vanished on Mount Everest for six days has been located crawling toward base camp, a feat experts are calling a "miraculous" act of self-rescue. Dawa Sherpa, also known as Hillary Dawa Sherpa in honor of the legendary mountaineer Edmund Hillary, disappeared on May 29 while assisting a Polish climber. The incident occurred above Camp 3, at an altitude of approximately 7,500 meters (24,600 feet), where oxygen levels are dangerously low and survival chances are typically minimal.

For several days, Sherpa was presumed dead, joining the ranks of the year’s fatalities. However, his status changed dramatically on Thursday when a cleaning crew spotted him alive.

"This is a true self-rescue," Pemba Sherpa, executive director of 8K Expeditions, which coordinated the search, told reporters. "Dawa managed to survive against all odds for days. It's nothing short of a miracle."

Pemba Sherpa noted that Dawa was found "slowly sliding through" the Khumbu Icefall. Despite the harrowing ordeal, he was reported to be in overall good health. The relief was profound for his family; prior to his discovery, his wife had reportedly performed last rites for his soul.

The disappearance of Dawa Sherpa had been witnessed by Chris Thrall, a climber and former British Royal Marine, who had initially assumed his friend had perished. Thrall shared a tribute on Instagram on Wednesday, recalling their final interaction as they descended from Camp 4, the highest camp before the summit.

"I turned and I said, 'Hillary, are you okay, brother?' He said, 'Yes, yes, fine Chris, please go, go!'" Thrall recounted in a video. He explained that it was common for him to move ahead while Dawa followed, as they had done many times before. Thrall continued his descent after encountering a struggling Polish climber, but Dawa Sherpa never caught up.

Following the disappearance, 8K Expeditions launched an aerial search, but the team was unable to locate him during those initial efforts.

This season on Everest has been marked by both record-breaking success and tragedy. According to AFP News Agency, more than 1,000 climbers reached the summit, making it the busiest season on record. However, the mountain has also claimed five lives this year, three of whom were Nepalis involved in Everest preparations.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-04 08:45:25 UTC