'I thought I would perish': Everest survivor recounts ordeal

A 57-year-old Nepali mountaineer, Dawa Sherpa, has recounted his harrowing ordeal after surviving nearly a week stranded on Mount Everest, enduring brutal conditions with dwindling oxygen and minimal sustenance. Believed dead by his relatives, who had begun mourning rituals, Sherpa miraculously walked for days towards base camp after falling behind his group due to exhaustion.

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I didn’t think I would be alive. I thought I would perish this way.

"I didn't think I would be alive," Sherpa told BBC Nepali from his hospital bed. "I thought I would perish this way." He described surviving by chewing ice, which hurt his teeth, and consuming a few chocolates and snacks he found in his pockets, soaking them in water. He fell into a crevasse at one point but managed to climb out using a rope he found.

Sherpa was eventually found crawling towards base camp on June 4 by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), a Nepali team responsible for route setting and waste cleanup. They carried him down to be treated for frostbite, severe dehydration, and a fractured thigh bone. His daughter confirmed he is recovering well.

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I began chewing ice. It hurt my teeth. I chewed the ice hard.

While his survival has been hailed as extraordinary, it has also ignited anger among some family members and fellow climbers. Nepal Mountaineering Association president Fur Gelje Sherpa called the incident "irresponsible and inhumane," demanding an investigation into why Sherpa was left behind and urging accountability for those responsible. Everest guide Rinji Sherpa noted that Dawa Sherpa, also known as "Hillary," is highly experienced but incredibly lucky, having survived previous close calls.

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It is irresponsible and inhumane to leave a person behind. I believe that an investigation committee must be formed to hold the responsible people accountable for this.