KATHMANDU, Nepal — A mountain guide has been rescued alive from Mount Everest after disappearing for seven days, with a helicopter transporting him to medical care on Thursday, according to rescue teams.
Dawa Sherpa was last spotted approximately on May 29 making his way down the mountain, but failed to reach base camp despite his client successfully completing the descent. The two were among the final climbers on the peak as the season concluded and equipment was being removed.
A cleanup team discovered Dawa on Thursday morning as he crawled through the snow-covered terrain near the Khumbu Icefall above base camp, according to Pemba Sherpa from 8K Expeditions, who helped coordinate rescue efforts.
Rescue workers immediately brought him to safety and provided food and water before a helicopter arrived to transport him to medical facilities.
Despite the guide’s disappearance since the previous week, organizing a search operation was delayed. Air searches conducted earlier this week failed to locate him.
The crew that found him belonged to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, an organization responsible for installing ladders and ropes at the beginning of each climbing season and later removing equipment and cleaning the area after climbers depart.
The 52-year-old Dawa is employed by Himalayan Traverse, a small company based in Kathmandu, and was leading a Polish climber. He originates from Okhaldhunga, a town located south of Everest.
Over 1,000 climbers and their guides successfully reached Everest’s summit this May, marking the most crowded climbing season in the mountain’s history.
This year’s climbing period started later than usual due to a large ice formation blocking the path above base camp, requiring approximately two weeks to remove.
The peak, standing 8,849 meters (29,032 feet) tall, was initially conquered on May 29, 1953, by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay.
