Nepali guide Dawa Sherpa (Hillary), who was missing in the Everest region, has been found alive after 6 days. Dawa, 56, from Okhaldhunga, went missing in the extremely dangerous ‘Death Zone’ area of ​​Mount Everest on 15 Jestha. He was found on the morning of the seventh day, crawling towards the base camp at a place called ‘Crampon Point’ near the Khumbu Icefall. Climbers have called the fact that Dawa was found alive after being out of contact for such a long time a ‘miracle’.

According to mountaineer Tshering Jangmu Sherpa, it is considered extremely rare to survive in the Himalayan region for such a long time in extreme cold, lack of oxygen, without food, water and shelter. ‘This incident is extremely rare for the Himalayan region,’ said Sherpa, the operator of Everest Sherpa Expedition Company and an internationally recognized guide. ‘This is also a unique incident for mountaineers and doctors in the Himalayan region.’

A helicopter was deployed from Kathmandu on Wednesday to search for Dawa. Captain Vivek Khadka, who is known for search and rescue in the Himalayan region, was deployed along with two assistants to search for Dawa. ‘We searched from the sky for about 25 minutes from the Everest base camp to the side of the third camp at an altitude of 7,300 meters, but we did not find him,’ Captain Khadka of Altitude Air told Kantipur.

On Thursday morning, the news that Dawa was found near the Everest base camp was reported to Dawa’s friend Pasang Dawa Sherpa by the staff of the Everest Pollution Control Committee who were cleaning there. Pasang is his old friend. Pasang, a resident of Okhaldhunga, had also launched a search operation for Dawa. Pasang said that after receiving the news of Dawa's discovery, he spread the information everywhere.

Immediately after receiving the news of Dawa's discovery, Captain Khadka, who was in Lukla, along with Lakpa Sherpa of ATK, requested that they charter a flight from Lukla to Gorekshep. Dawa was carried to Gorekshep until the helicopter reached. From there, Captain Khadka put him in a helicopter and brought him to the Lukla mountain range. And, after resting and feeding him for some time, he was taken to HAM's Hospital in Kathmandu's Chakrapath by helicopter. After that, Khadka returned to Lukla again. The last helicopter charter flight to search for Dawa was conducted by ATK Expeditions, based in Thamel, said Lakpa Sherpa, the company's operator.

Along with the good news that Dawa was rescued alive, the incident has raised questions about serious negligence, managerial weaknesses and possible unprofessional practices on the part of the company that organized the expedition, said an official of the Mountaineering Operators Association of Nepal. The expedition was organized by Himalaya Traverse Adventure Pvt. Ltd. based in Budhanilkantha through ATK Expeditions based in Thamel. The Everest expedition team that went through Himalaya Traverse consisted of five people, including British citizen Chris Thrall and Polish citizen Marus Simleski. Marus, who returned after reaching near the peak, has accused Himalaya Traverse of serious negligence in management.

Marus, who is undergoing treatment at Hams Hospital after both his fingers were bitten by snow, alleged that the expedition was conducted in a disorganized, dangerous and unprofessional manner. He told Kantipur, ‘I have serious doubts about the company that organized this expedition.’ "Everything, including the summit attempt, was slow and disorganized," Marus said, adding that "disorder and hasty decisions" were more common in this expedition than professional preparation. According to him, the camps for the climb were set up at the last minute. He also said that communication facilities were almost non-existent and food supplies were very poor.

Marus complained that even after a difficult 15-hour journey from the base camp to Camp-2, they were not given food and water until the next day. He said that the support team could not even operate the cooking stove. Marus returned from 8,450 meters after the summit attempt failed on 14 Jestha. Another member of the climbing team, British citizen Chris Thrall, said that he had successfully climbed Everest and that he had returned to Camp-4 with the rest of the team.

According to Marus, when the weather was very bad on 15 Jestha, he had only about 20 units of oxygen cylinders left, which would have lasted only for 30 minutes. He complained that even though he had purchased 7 cylinders, he did not get enough oxygen cylinders due to poor management. According to him, a Sherpa had promised him spare oxygen when he was descending. But he later accused him of carrying oxygen for himself.

According to Marus, British climbers Chris Thrall and Dawa had separated from Camp-4. Marus said that they had to travel without oxygen at an altitude of 7,500 to 7,600 meters and met Thrall on the way. Marus said that Thrall had separated from Dawa and asked him to come down saying that he was fine. Both the climbers had descended through thick snow in the middle of the night and crossed the Khumbu Icefall. They said they had to travel using only one headlight and sharing oxygen for a short time.

According to the police climber, although Dawa had a walkie-talkie and satellite phone with him, contact was lost after the fourth camp. Marus also alleges that the company managing the climb did not immediately launch a search operation. ‘There was no search operation for Dawa. No Sherpas were sent. I was told not to talk to anyone and not to say anything to the media,’ he said.

After a long period of no contact, Thrall issued an emotional message on Instagram, paying tribute to Dawa, calling him a ‘true warrior of the mountains.’ Marus also posted a tribute status on Tuesday, considering Dawa dead. According to Marus, Dawa Sherpa, the head of Himalayan Traverse, had said before leaving Kathmandu that he would use only experienced Sherpas in the climb. However, Dawa (Hilary), who had no experience in climbing Everest, was sent as a guide.

Dawa (Hilary) himself later admitted in a conversation with Marus that he had never climbed Everest. His daughter Mendo Sherpa also told Kantipur that her father had not yet climbed Everest and that this time she was given the responsibility of cooking and other supporting work in the mountaineering team.

Dawa was initially only in the role of cooking and managing food at Camp-2. But due to the lack of qualified manpower, he was sent to climb the peak. Marus has accused the company's manager Dawa Sherpa (Kale) and his son Angphurba Sherpa of 'only looking at money' and 'playing with human lives'. According to him, the company representative who came to meet him at the hospital told him that the $1,500 deposit he had deposited would not be refunded, saying that it was spent on the rescue. The police climber has demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.

Dawa is being treated in the ICU. His brother-in-law Nima Ngati Sherpa said that Dawa is speaking well and his health condition is normal. ‘I spoke for 3-4 minutes.’ He is fine. Some of his fingers have been eaten by the snow.’ Dawa told his family that he was separated from the group at Camp 4. ‘My father was left behind at Camp 4,’ Mendo said.

Dawa told his family that he had eaten food left by climbers at Camp 3, that he had fallen into a snow pit and got stuck, and that it was difficult to find his way because the ladders and ropes hanging on the climbing route had been pulled. His statement was not available as doctors did not allow him to speak due to health reasons. Himalaya Traverse chief Dawa Sherpa and another operator Angpurwa Sherpa refused to comment on the incident.

After the incident came to light, a serious debate has begun on the regulation, license checks and safety standards of mountaineering companies. Ramkrishna Lamichhane, Director General of the Department of Tourism, said that a detailed investigation into the incident has begun and that the climbing team's liaison officer Madhusudan Pudasaini was questioned on Thursday. "We will conduct a detailed investigation into this incident. If found guilty, strict action will be taken against the company involved as per the law," said Director General Lamichhane.