"Prayers Said for the Dead"... Missing Sherpa Returns Alive from Everest After Six Days

Crawled Alone to Near Base Camp
Regained Consciousness Despite Frostbite Symptoms
"I Had Lost All Hope"

A Nepalese mountaineering guide who had been presumed dead after going missing for six days on Mount Everest has made a dramatic return alive.

Medical personnel are transporting mountain guide Dawa Sherpa, who was missing for several days in the Everest region, for treatment. Photo by AP Yonhap News Agency

According to AFP on June 4 (local time), Dawa Sherpa was found by a team from the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) near Everest Base Camp that morning. Pemba Sherpa of 8K Expeditions, who led the search and rescue operation, said, "He was crawling down near the base camp."

Dawa Sherpa was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Kathmandu. Pemba Sherpa reported, "He has symptoms of frostbite, but otherwise appears to be fine."

Dawa Sherpa, who is in his fifties, was nicknamed "Hillary" after the famous mountaineer Edmund Hillary, thanks to his extensive experience. On May 30, he went missing in the upper sections of Everest amid severe weather conditions. He was separated from Chris Thrall, a former British Royal Marine who summited with him, during the descent, and despite a search, his whereabouts could not be confirmed. As a result, his family had given up hope for his survival.

His wife, Damu Sherpa, said, "I was so happy to hear the news," adding, "Honestly, I had already lost hope. Just yesterday, I even held a prayer (puja) for the dead."

This season, at least five people have died on Everest: two Indians and three Nepalese involved in climbing preparations. This year, the number of climbers who reached the summit of Everest has exceeded 1,000, marking the busiest season on record.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.