A cleanup crew found mountain guide Hillary Dawa Sherpa crawling through Monte Evereste’s glacial zone on Thursday. The 52-year-old Sherpa had been missing since May 29 and spent almost six days without food or supplemental oxygen. Ele arrived exhausted and with signs of frostbite, but alive. The discovery ended the family’s fears, which had already begun funeral rites.
Hillary Dawa Sherpa worked for the company Himalayan Traverse, owned by Catmandu. Ele was descending with a Polish client after a summit attempt when he separated from the group. The last contact occurred above Campo 3, at around 7,060 meters altitude. The stairs on Cascata of Gelo of Khumbu had already been removed, which made the descent even more complicated.
Guia became isolated after separation from client
Hillary Dawa Sherpa and the Polish client were part of the last group of the season on the south side of Evereste. Durante the descent, the guide stopped to rest. British climber Chris Thrall, who was also a customer of the same company, reported last seeing Hillary Dawa. Ele said the Sherpa appeared fine and was carrying a satellite radio and phone.
The Polish client was experiencing freezing problems and went down with another Sherpa. The group’s descent took longer than expected because of the weather conditions, which included snow and intense fog. Hillary Dawa Sherpa ended up alone in one of the most dangerous areas of the mountain.
Sobrevivência includes fall into glacial crevasse
Segundo Initial reports gathered after the rescue, Hillary Dawa Sherpa slipped and fell into a crevasse near Campo 1, about 6,000 meters. Ele spent two days trapped in the ice before managing to free himself. Depois, faced the descent alone until he was located above Acampamento Base.
- The Sherpa survived without food for six days
- Não used bottled oxygen during the isolated period
- Apresentava signs of freezing when encountered
- Foi transported by helicopter to hospital in Catmandu
- The family confirmed the identity after receiving photos
The Comité of Controlo of Poluição of Sagarmatha (SPCC) team was removing waste when they saw the guide crawling. Membros from the team gave him food, water and took him to a safe place before air transport. Vídeos shows Hillary Dawa Sherpa being carried on a stretcher from the Hospital HAMS helipad, in Catmandu.
Familiares celebrate unexpected return
Hillary Dawa Sherpa’s daughter, Mendo Lhamu, told Associated Press that the family was unsure when they first received news of the rescue. Eles asked for photos to confirm. Joy took over after the check. The guide received medical treatment for frostbite and other complications.
Muitos in the Nepal mountaineering community consider survival an extraordinary feat. Ang Tshering Sherpa, a well-known figure in the sector, described the case as a miracle given the extreme conditions of the highest mountain in the world.
Temporada record on Evereste ends with security alert
Esta season saw more than 1,000 climbers reach the summit from the south side, the highest number in history. A record 274 people reached the top in a single day, May 20th. Imagens of queues in the so-called death zone circulated again and reignited debates about the volume of expeditions.
The Hillary Dawa Sherpa incident raises questions about search protocols and support for Nepali guides. Especialistas point out risks in commercial operators, such as insufficient assessment of customer experience and cuts in security measures. CNN has not independently confirmed all details of the personal accounts.
The guide remains under treatment in the hospital. The family is following the recovery after days of uncertainty.