A Nepali mountain guide, Dawa Sherpa, has recounted his harrowing survival story to the BBC after being stranded for six days on Mount Everest. Presumed dead, he survived by 'chewing ice' and eating a few chocolates he found in his pocket after his oxygen ran out.
Dawa Sherpa was last seen alive by climber Chris Thrall, a former British soldier, just above Camp 3 at approximately 7,500 meters. Sherpa was sitting on his backpack, taking a rest. It was assumed he had perished, and his family in Kathmandu had begun performing last rites.
He was discovered by a cleanup team 'sliding' down the mountain towards Base Camp. Sherpa was airlifted to a hospital in Kathmandu where he is being treated for dehydration, frostbite, and a fractured bone. He told BBC Nepali, 'I didn't think I would be alive.'
Sherpa explained that when his oxygen ran out, he could not walk. He ate nothing for the first two days, then began chewing ice. After discovering chocolates in his pocket, he managed to get some melted ice to drink. He slowly descended but fell into a crevasse, where he was trapped for two-and-a-half days before an avalanche dumped snow into the crevasse, allowing him to climb out. He then navigated further down using nearby ropes, eventually reaching Base Camp where he was found.
His survival was met with shock and delight. Pemba Sherpa, executive director of 8K Expeditions overseeing search efforts, called it a 'true self-rescue' and a 'miracle.' Doctors report Sherpa is stable and his dehydration is showing significant improvement.