A 52-year-old Nepali Sherpa guide, Dawa Sherpa, who had been missing on Mount Everest for six days and was feared dead, was found alive crawling near the Khumbu Icefall.

He was rescued by a cleanup crew, given food and water, and flown to a hospital in Kathmandu.

His family had already begun funeral rituals after losing hope of finding him alive.

Dawa was last seen descending Everest on May 29, while his client safely reached base camp, Al-Jazeera has reported.

His rescue came during Everest’s busiest climbing season, which has already claimed at least five lives.