Hillary Dawa Sherpa, a Nepalese guide, was found alive on Mount Everest on June 4, 2026, after being missing for approximately six days [1], [4].
The rescue is considered remarkable because the guide survived the mountain's "death zone" without food, water, or supplemental oxygen. His survival challenges the typical limits of human endurance at extreme altitudes.
Sherpa disappeared on May 29, 2026, while descending the mountain [2]. Search efforts continued for nearly a week as his family began funeral rites, believing he had died on the slopes [1], [3].
A cleaning crew eventually spotted the guide crawling down a slope toward the South Base Camp in Nepal [2], [3]. He was discovered on June 4, 2026 [4].
The guide had spent about six days in the high-altitude environment [1]. Despite the lack of basic supplies, he managed to navigate toward the base camp before being rescued [2], [3].
Rescue teams and crew members who discovered him said he was found in a severely weakened state. He had been missing since May 29, 2026 [2].
“Hillary Dawa Sherpa was discovered crawling toward base camp after six days missing.”
This incident highlights the extreme physiological resilience of Sherpa guides, whose bodies are often better adapted to low-oxygen environments than those of foreign climbers. The fact that a person survived nearly a week in the death zone without supplemental oxygen or hydration is a rare occurrence that underscores the critical role of professional guides and the inherent dangers of Everest's descent.
