Overview
- A Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) route team found Dawa “Hillary” Sherpa crawling near Everest base camp on Thursday and he was airlifted conscious to HAMS Hospital in Kathmandu for intensive care for frostbite, dehydration and trauma.
- He vanished during the descent after reaching the summit on May 29–30; British climber Chris Thrall last saw him pause near Camp 4 and said the guide urged him to continue before he lost sight of him.
- Multiple reports say Dawa survived six to seven days largely without bottled oxygen or food while his family began traditional funeral rites and rescues failed to locate him.
- His employer Himalayan Traverse faces criticism and probes after acknowledging he was left alone near the Yellow Band, and critics say dismantling ropes and slow search coordination hampered rescue efforts.
- The case comes as Nepal records its busiest Everest season with more than 1,000 summits and unusually long climbs caused by weather and route delays, renewing calls for stronger oversight of guides, rescue coordination and sherpa safety.