Key facts
- Hillary Dawa Sherpa, a climbing guide, was found alive on Mount Everest after being missing for six days.
- He was discovered by a cleaning team near the Khumbu Icefall.
- Sherpa had been separated from his clients during a descent from Camp 4.
- His employer, Himalayan Traverse Adventure (HTA), is under scrutiny for its safety protocols and treatment of guides.
- Sherpa's family has filed a negligence report against HTA, and the tourism department is investigating.
- HTA and a partner company, 8K Expeditions, have conflicting accounts regarding rescue responsibilities and delays.
A climbing guide, Hillary Dawa Sherpa, has miraculously survived for six days on Mount Everest after being separated from his clients and presumed dead. Found by a cleaning team, the 57-year-old Sherpa was frostbitten but able to communicate before being airlifted to a hospital in Kathmandu. His survival has drawn attention to the high-risk conditions faced by Sherpa guides and has led to accusations of negligence against his employer, Himalayan Traverse Adventure (HTA).
HTA maintains that poor weather conditions hampered rescue efforts and denies any wrongdoing. However, questions have been raised about why Sherpa, hired as a cook, was leading clients and why a search was delayed. Client Chris Thrall described the difficult decision-making process during the descent, prioritizing a client with critical oxygen and frostbite issues. Another client, Mariusz Chmielewski, also accused HTA of negligence, stating Sherpa rescued himself and that customers are treated similarly to employees.
Himalayan Traverse Adventure's founder, Dawa Sherpa, stated that adverse weather prevented an immediate helicopter rescue, while partner company 8K Expeditions, which issued the climbing permits, claims no responsibility for operational services. The incident has prompted a police report from Sherpa's family and an investigation by Nepal's tourism department, highlighting broader concerns about safety standards and the treatment of expedition staff in the booming high-altitude tourism sector.