Everest Guide Hillary Dawa Sherpa, 52, Crawls to Safety After 6 Days Missing
Updated
Updated · ExplorersWeb · Jun 5
Everest Guide Hillary Dawa Sherpa, 52, Crawls to Safety After 6 Days Missing
3 articles · Updated · ExplorersWeb · Jun 5
Summary
Hillary Dawa Sherpa was found alive near Everest Base Camp after a week missing, with an SPCC garbage patrol spotting the 52-year-old crawling toward safety and arranging a helicopter evacuation to Kathmandu.
Last seen on May 29 above Camp 3 at about 7,600 meters, he had been presumed dead after no rescue call or search was launched during his descent from a late summit push.
Dawa later said he fell into a crevasse below Camp 1 at roughly 5,500 meters, survived there for two days on biscuits and ice, then climbed out and continued down alone.
A helicopter search the previous day flew over the Khumbu Icefall but missed him, even though he said he waved both hands from below.
The survival story has intensified scrutiny of Everest rescue practices after the season ended and route-fixing teams dismantled the Khumbu Icefall ladders on May 31.
Presumed dead for six days on Everest, a climber returns. What really happened to him in the unforgiving Death Zone?
A Sherpa was left for dead on Everest. Was his survival a miracle or a symptom of a dangerously overcrowded mountain?
Six Days Alone on Everest: The Miraculous Survival and Rescue of Hillary Dawa Sherpa in 2026—and What It Reveals About Mountaineering Safety
Overview
In early June 2026, the mountaineering world was stunned when Hillary Dawa Sherpa, a guide presumed lost on a dangerous peak, was found alive after seven days alone without food, oxygen, or rescue. Initial reports and tributes mourned his loss, but his dramatic rescue brought widespread relief and astonishment. Dawa Sherpa’s survival against extreme conditions highlighted both his extraordinary willpower and serious gaps in rescue protocols, as he was ultimately saved by a chance encounter with a non-specialized team. His ordeal has sparked urgent questions about expedition accountability and the safety of Sherpa guides on Everest.