A Nepali Everest guide has stunned rescuers and the mountaineering community after being found alive several days after he was presumed dead during a descent from the world’s highest peak.
The climber, identified as Dawa Sherpa, went missing while descending from a high-altitude section of Mount Everest after a summit support mission. He was last seen struggling in extreme weather conditions before communication was lost.
After six days of no contact, search teams and expedition leaders concluded that survival was highly unlikely due to the harsh conditions in the so called “death zone,” where oxygen levels are dangerously low and temperatures can drop far below freezing.
His wife and family had already been informed of the disappearance, with reports that she had begun accepting the worst outcome, describing him as “gone” after multiple failed rescue attempts and no signs of survival.
According to BBC Dawa Sherpa was last seen above Camp 3, at around 7,500m (24,600ft), while coming down the mountain after summiting.
"Dawa managed to survive against all odds for days. It's nothing short of a miracle," said Pemba Sherpa. Five people have died so far in this year's climbing, three of them Nepalis who were involved in the Everest preparations, according to news agency AFP.
According to BBC Dawa Sherpa - also known as Hillary Dawa Sherpa after famed mountaineer Edmund Hillary - was "slowly sliding through" the Khumbu Icefall toward Base Camp when he was found, Pemba Sherpa said.
"As far as I know, no one has survived alone at that altitude on Everest so far. This is a miracle to have survived for six days alone and descended safe. I think he must have lived inside the tents to keep himself safe," said Pemba Sherpa. Dawa Sherpa is "awake and undergoing treatment", according to Nishant
Dhakal, a doctor in the intensive care unit of Kathmandu's HAMS Hospital.
According to BBC on Wednesday, Chris Thrall, a climber and former British Royal Marine, posted a tribute on Instagram for Dawa Sherpa, thinking he had died on the mountain. In the video, Thrall recalled that Dawa Sherpa had "sat down for a rest with his backpack" as they descended from Camp 4, the highest campsite before the summit.
Sherpas are internationally recognized for their expertise in high-altitude climbing, often assisting foreign mountaineers by carrying equipment, fixing ropes, and leading dangerous sections of the climb.
Before this incident, he had participated in multiple Everest expeditions and was regarded as experienced in navigating extreme weather conditions on the mountain.
The survival story has since been described by fellow climbers as a “miracle on Everest,” reigniting discussions about safety, risk, and the human limits of high-altitude mountaineering.