Mount Everest climber recounts moment he lost guide who survived alone for six days

Chris Thrall, a former British soldier, described the harrowing experience of becoming separated from his guide, Dawa Sherpa, during their descent from Mount Everest. Sherpa, also known as Hillary Dawa Sherpa, was found alive on Thursday after surviving for six days in the perilous "death zone" above Camp 3, at approximately 7,500 meters.

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It's kind of crazy one minute to be fighting back tears with his daughter, and then the next minute to see him crawling into town. It's absolutely amazing, beyond words.

Thrall recounted the moment he last saw Sherpa resting, sitting on his backpack. Thrall then encountered another climber, a Polish national without oxygen and suffering from severe frostbite. His attention shifted to assisting the struggling climber, and as he looked back up the mountain, Sherpa had not moved and was not descending.

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So immediately my attention turned to the weakest member of the trio. And that was that. As I look back up the mountain, as I helped this guy descend, Hillary Dawa didn't appear to have moved, and certainly wasn't descending, because we would have seen his head torch.

For six days, there was no sign of Sherpa, leading his wife to begin prayers for his soul. Against all expectations, he was eventually spotted by a cleaning crew slowly making his way down the mountain. Thrall expressed disbelief and immense relief, calling Sherpa's survival "absolutely amazing, beyond words."

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It really does defy the odds. I met the family yesterday to offer my utmost condolences.

Pemba Sherpa, executive director of 8K Expeditions, praised Dawa Sherpa's resilience, calling his survival a "true self-rescue" and "nothing short of a miracle." Dawa Sherpa is currently in intensive care at Kathmandu's HAMS Hospital, receiving treatment for frostbite, cold injuries, and trauma. His daughter reported that he is awake, speaking, and recognizing his family, bringing immense happiness and relief.

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Dawa managed to survive against all odds for days. It's nothing short of a miracle.