A Nepali guide has been rescued from near the summit of Mount Everest after six harrowing days, with the operation led by a British team earning widespread praise for its technical skill and courage. The guide, identified as Kami Dorjee, was stranded at around 8,000 metres after a fall left him with severe injuries. His survival was described as 'nothing short of a miracle' by rescue coordinators.
The rescue was mounted by a joint team from the UK-based Himalayan Rescue Trust and the Nepal Mountaineering Association. Using a combination of helicopter lifts and high-altitude porters, the team navigated treacherous icefalls and thin air to reach Dorjee. He was found dehydrated and suffering from frostbite but conscious. The operation took 12 hours from start to finish, with the British team providing critical medical support and logistics.
This rescue highlights the growing role of international expertise in Himalayan mountaineering. But it also raises questions about the commercialisation of Everest, where hundreds of climbers attempt the peak each year, often with inadequate preparation. Dorjee, an experienced guide with 14 summits, was leading a private expedition when he fell. His client, a British businessman, was safely evacuated earlier.
The rescue comes as Nepal prepares for its spring season, when the mountain sees the highest traffic. Critics argue that the focus should shift from summits to safety, with better regulation of expeditions and mandatory insurance for medical evacuations. The British team’s success is a reminder that lives can be saved, as long as the will and resources are there.
For Dorjee, the ordeal is not over. He faces months of recovery, and the cost of his hospital care is being covered by a crowdfunding campaign. His family, who had given him up for dead, are now hopeful. As one rescuer put it: 'Mount Everest takes, but sometimes she also gives back.'
