Dawa Sherpa said he was forced to stop during his descent after running out of oxygen.

At one point, people assumed the 57-year-old had died on the mountain.

Back in Kathmandu, his family had already begun funeral rituals before word came that he had been spotted alive by a cleanup crew making its way up the mountain.

After being rescued, Dawa Sherpa was taken to a hospital in Kathmandu. He was treated for dehydration, frostbite and a broken bone.

Looking back on the ordeal, he said there were moments when he truly believed he would die.

The last known climber to see him before the rescue was former British soldier Chris Thrall. He recalled seeing Dawa sitting on his backpack near Camp 3, something experienced climbers often do while taking a short break.

Thrall continued down the mountain and soon came across another climber who was struggling badly without oxygen and suffering from frostbite. His attention shifted to helping that climber get down safely.

Later, it became clear that Dawa had run into serious trouble.

After his oxygen supply ran out, he no longer had the strength to keep moving. For the first couple of days he had nothing to eat.

To survive, he chewed on ice despite the pain it caused his teeth. Eventually, he found some chocolates in his pocket and managed to melt ice for drinking water.

As he slowly made his way down the mountain, he fell into a crevasse.

He became trapped and remained there for two and a half days.

It wasn’t until an avalanche sent fresh snow into the crevasse, that he was able to escape.

Once he was out, he spotted climbing ropes nearby and used them to descend the mountain.

Another avalanche threatened him along the way, but he kept moving. He spent the night making his way down the mountain until he finally reached an area near base camp.

That was when he saw other people for the first time in almost a week. Members of a waste collection team spotted him and helped carry him to safety.

His survival stunned the climbing community, his family and even the people who had been searching for him.

Pemba Sherpa, who helped oversee the search effort, described the rescue as an extraordinary example of someone saving himself against overwhelming odds.

Chris Thrall said he could hardly believe the news when he first saw online reports claiming Dawa was alive.

Just a little earlier, he had been comforting Dawa’s daughter, as they believed he had died on the mountain.

Dawa’s wife was just as shocked. She said she had already accepted that he was gone after being told a rescue was unlikely.

When she finally saw him again, she struggled to believe he had survived after spending so many days alone without proper food or supplies on the unforgiving mountain.

His daughter later visited him in hospital and said he recognized family members, was talking and appeared to be recovering well.

Doctors say he remains in stable condition and is continuing to improve while receiving intensive medical care.

This year’s Everest season has been the busiest on record, with more than 1,000 climbers reaching the summit.

At the same time, five people have died while climbing Everest this year, bringing the overall death count to over 300.

The post Everest Guide Survived For Six Days By Eating Chocolate and Ice appeared first on Gazette Review.

Starting Wednesday, anyone entering the country after travelling through the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan will be required to self-isolate for 21 days.

The federal government will also be temporarily pausing immigration applications from those three countries.

Officials emphasized that the measures are meant to be temporary, and that existing immigration documents will not be cancelled.

Rather, applications and documents will be temporarily suspended; they may be reactivated later once the restrictions are lifted, if they’re still valid.

According to Health Minister Marjorie Michel, the overall risk to Canadians is still considered low. Considering the potential consequences, however, the government will be taking extra precautions to help keep everyone safe.

Under the new rules, all incoming travellers from affected areas will be screened by border officials.

Anyone showing symptoms will be sent for further medical evaluation at a hospital. The tougher border measures are being introduced under Canada’s Quarantine Act and are expected to remain in place until at least Aug. 29.

Travellers who do not have a place to isolate will be given accommodations.

Immigration Minister Lena Diab said the restrictions are expected to last around 90 days.

Currently, Canada sees approximately 350 travellers from Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan each week on average.

Most of those passengers land in Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver, and officials said about 60 percent are Canadian citizens or permanent residents while the remaining 40 percent are foreign nationals.

The timing is also making people a little more nervous as the FIFA World Cup is about to start, with Canada hosting its first game on June 12.

Officials said the combination of summer travel and all the extra visitors coming in for the tournament could increase the chances of the virus spreading.

Mexico has also rolled out its own travel limits earlier this month, and Canadian officials said they’re basically following the same approach as the U.S. and Mexico.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization officially declared the outbreak involving the rare Bundibugyo Ebola strain an international public health emergency.

WHO officials have warned that the outbreak is spreading quickly in Congo and Uganda, with suspected deaths now reported in the hundreds.

Health experts say teams on the ground are struggling to keep up because some Ebola cases were discovered too late.

They also say the outbreak has been harder to control because parts of eastern Congo are already dealing with violence and unrest.

To make matters worse, there is still no approved vaccine for this type of Ebola.

The post Canada Introduces 21-Day Isolation Rules for Travellers From Ebola-Affected Regions appeared first on Gazette Review.

For the second time in just a few days, a treatment tent set up for Ebola patients has been set on fire. Several people who were thought to have been infected also fled afterward.

The latest incident happened Friday night in Mongbwalu, one of the towns at the center of the outbreak.

According to local officials, a group of individuals targeted a treatment tent run by Doctors Without Borders that was being used for both suspected and confirmed Ebola patients.

The fire caused panic among medical staff, and during the confusion, 18 suspected cases reportedly escaped back into the community.

Just a day earlier, another Ebola treatment site in Rwampara was burned down. That incident allgedly happened after a group of family members were stopped from taking the body of a man who had died from Ebola.

Since the virus can still spread from the bodies of those who die from it, health officials have been taking over burials to help prevent more infections.

However, this has upset several families, who are frustrated they cannot handle funeral arrangements themselves.

Things were still tense on Saturday during another Ebola burial in Rwampara.

Red Cross workers managing the funeral reportedly faced pushback from local residents and groups of young people; they eventually needed help from security to safely carry out the burial.

As the outbreak keeps growing, officials in northeastern Congo have started to introduce stricter rules to slow the spread of the virus. Authorities have now banned funeral wakes and gatherings larger than 50 people.

The World Health Organization also updated its assessment of the outbreak, saying the situation had become more serious. However, they noted that the global risk remains low for now.

According to WHO officials, there are currently 82 confirmed cases and seven confirmed deaths.

However, the true scale of the outbreak is thought to be much bigger.

So far, there is no vaccine available for this Ebola strain, known as the Bundibugyo virus. Health experts say the virus may have been spreading quietly for weeks before it was properly identified as early testing focused on other Ebola strains.

At this point, authorities are investigating around 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths, and those numbers are expected to rise as more testing and tracking continue.

Health officials across Africa also said that building trust with local communities will be key in getting the outbreak under control.

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said three of its volunteers have died after reportedly becoming infected while handling bodies in Mongbwalu during humanitarian work back in March.

If confirmed, that could mean the outbreak actually started much earlier than officials first believed.

The post Ebola Treatment Tent Set On Fire Again In Congo appeared first on Gazette Review.

When individuals check their bags in at the airport, they are given a tag – one with identifying information – that wraps around the handle.

According to the RCMP, baggage tag switching happens when someone deliberately swaps luggage labels at an airport, causing another suitcase to be linked to your name while your actual bag is left behind unclaimed.

All it takes is a few seconds out of view of security cameras, and an unscrupulous airport worker to make the switch.

Last summer, the RCMP arrested and charged two Swissport baggage handlers accused of trying to smuggle more than $147,000 worth of cannabis to France.

At the time, the RCMP explained that baggage tags tell airport systems where each suitcase should go and who it belongs to. By swapping the tags, the suitcase carrying the cannabis would look as if it belonged to an unsuspecting traveller.

A French citizen who landed in Paris was later detained by officials on suspicion of bringing cannabis into the country from Canada.

However, he was ultimately released after additional investigation; the case was later handed over to the RCMP Toronto Airport Detachment.

Investigators later determined that the two baggage handlers – both of whom had more than 20 years of experience – allegedly changed baggage tags without the passengers’ knowledge or permission.

Transporting drugs across international borders can lead to a police investigation and, in some countries, penalties ranging from prison sentences to the death penalty.

Earlier this year, RCMP officers were called in after the Canada Border Services Agency discovered 33 kilograms of cannabis inside each checked suitcase belonging to two German nationals preparing to travel from Toronto to Germany.

The pair were arrested upon landing, however, they both denied that the bags belonged to them.

A later investigation revealed that an Air Canada employee working in the baggage area had attached luggage tags with the passengers’ names to suitcases filled with cannabis.

The passengers were later cleared and released, while the airport workers connected to the scheme were taken into custody and charged.

Experts say one of the best ways to protect yourself is by taking photos of your luggage throughout your trip, including when it’s packed, before leaving home, at the airport, and while it’s being weighed.

Those images could help if authorities later claim a suspicious suitcase belongs to you.

They also recommend making your luggage easy to recognize so it stands out from other bags.

While tracking devices can help, experts warn that some commonly used trackers are easy for thieves to spot and remove.

The post How Canadian Travellers Can Prevent Airport Bag Tag Swaps Linked to Drug Smuggling appeared first on Gazette Review.

According to prosecutors, Henry Nowak, a first-year finance student from Essex, had been sending videos to his friends on Snapchat as he headed home along Belmont Road.

One of those videos allegedly captured his encounter with 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa.

Prosecutors said Digwa was carrying a large knife – a shastar – out in the open. The blade was allegedly over 20 centimeters long.

In the footage, Henry was heard calling Digwa out for acting tough, before Digwa replied by saying he really was a “bad man.” The video ended just moments before the stabbing happened.

Digwa has pleaded not guilty to murder and also denies carrying a knife in public.

His mother, 53-year-old Kiran Kaur, is also on trial after prosecutors accused her of helping remove the weapon from the scene afterward. She has denied these charges.

While there were no direct witnesses, nearby residents reportedly heard Henry saying he had been stabbed and was dying.

Prosecutors said he tried to escape despite his injuries. At one point, he even attempted to climb over a fence.

Evidence shown in court suggested Henry had already been fatally injured by then, but prosecutors say Digwa still kept chasing after him anyway.

After the attack, Digwa did not try to help Henry. Rather, he accused him of being drunk and racist.

When police first arrived, they briefly handcuffed Henry while trying to understand what had happened. However, he later collapsed, prompting them to administer first aid.

A doctor was later flown in by helicopter, but by then there was sadly nothing that could be done to save him.

Jurors also heard that Henry’s phone was later found in Digwa’s pocket.

Surveillance footage later showed Digwa’s mother removing the knife from the scene and taking it back to the family home, where it was eventually recovered by police.

A post-mortem examination found Henry had suffered four stab wounds.

Digwa’s lawyers say he was racially abused during the confrontation and that he acted in self-defense. They also told the jury to consider whether he may have reacted in the heat of the moment.

The trial is still ongoing.

The post 18-Year-Old University Student Fatally Stabbed in Southampton appeared first on Gazette Review.

Officials confirmed Saturday that the whale discovered near the small Danish island of Anholt was the same animal that had been stranded multiple times along Germany’s Baltic Sea coast over the past few months.

The whale, nicknamed “Timmy” and “Hope,” had been released back into open waters on May 2 after rescuers transported it toward the North Sea using a flooded barge.

The whale’s body was spotted Thursday in the Kattegat strait between Denmark and Sweden, approximately 70 kilometers south of where it had been released.

Danish officials later recovered the tracking device still attached to the whale, which confirmed it was the same animal involved in the earlier rescue efforts.

Its death is a tragic end after weeks of trying to help the whale return to the ocean.

The whale was first seen off Germany’s coast back in March.

Experts never knew exactly why it entered the Baltic Sea in the first place, though some believed it may have gotten lost while following herring or during migration.

At one point in late March, crews even used an excavator to help free the whale from shallow waters near the German resort town of Timmendorfer Strand.

Not long afterwards, however, the animal once again became stranded nearby. The situation garnered a huge amount of attention from the public, with local media livestreaming updates.

By early April, some experts believed the whale likely would likely not survive. Still, the situation sparked some debate, with scientists, activists, rescue groups, and local officials arguing over whether trying to save the whale again was the right thing to do.

Animal activists pushed hard for the whale to be saved, while some scientists warned that additional rescue efforts could put even more stress on the already weak and exhausted animal.

Eventually, officials in Germany’s Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state approved a privately funded rescue mission to move the whale onto a barge and guide it closer to the North Sea.

The rescue group later confirmed that the tracking device recovered from the dead whale matched the one attached during the operation.

Officials said it is still unclear exactly what caused the whale’s death.

A regional environment minister in Germany said the rescue attempt at least gave the whale one last shot at getting back to open waters and recovering, though it sadly did not survive.

Officials have not yet decided whether the whale’s body will be removed or examined further.

Officials said there are no plans right now to perform a necropsy, and they do not think the whale currently poses any major issue in the area.

Still, people are being warned to stay away from it because of possible disease risks and safety concerns.

The post Humpback Whale Found Dead Following Contentious Rescue Attempt appeared first on Gazette Review.

According to authorities, the group was discovered inside a cave around 60 metres underwater in Vaavu Atoll.

The recovery effort involved a group of experienced Finnish and Maldivian divers; a fifth diver from the same group had already been found shortly after the accident happened on Thursday.

During the recovery effort, a Maldivian rescue diver also tragically lost his life.

Authorities say this may be the deadliest diving accident the Maldives has ever seen.

Government spokesperson Mohamed Hossain Shareef said more dives would still need to be carried out over the next few days so the bodies could safely be brought back to the surface. Two recoveries were expected Tuesday, with the remaining two planned for the following day.

Italy’s foreign ministry said the divers were found deep inside the cave system, in the third section furthest from the entrance.

The first victim recovered last week was reportedly discovered closer to the cave opening.

Among the victims were Monica Montefalcone and Muriel Oddenino, who had traveled to the Maldives to study how climate change was affecting marine biodiversity. Also in the group were Giorgia Sommacal and Federico Gualtieri.

The fifth victim was Gianluca Benedetti, a diving instructor and boat operations manager whose body was recovered first, according to media reports.

The group entered the water Thursday morning in Vaavu Atoll but never resurfaced. Police said weather conditions in the area had been rough at the time, and warnings had already been issued for boats and fishermen nearby.

Officials said the team did have permission to carry out coral research and deep dives in the region, but the cave itself had apparently not been mentioned in their proposal.

Their permit reportedly allowed dives down to 50 metres, while the cave entrance sat at about 47 metres below the surface.

Questions have also been raised about whether the dive was officially connected to the university research mission.

The University of Genoa said it never approved any deep cave diving as part of the project and described the dive as something done privately rather than under the university’s authorization.

Meanwhile, the Maldivian rescue diver who died during the search was identified as Mohamed Mahdhee.

He was part of an eight-person rescue team searching underwater. However, when the others resurfaced, they discovered he was missing.

The group immediately went back down and found him unconscious.

Investigators are still working to figure out exactly what caused the accident.

The post Missing Italian Divers Found Dead in the Maldives appeared first on Gazette Review.

According to a recent ruling from the Civil Resolution Tribunal, the issue started around New Year’s Eve in 2023. That day, residents living below the unit reported sewage backing up into their bathroom.

Soon after, water also began leaking into another condo underneath them.

Plumbers Couldn’t Fix the Issue

Plumbers were brought in but could not fix the problem from inside the affected units.

After removing sections of the building’s pipes from the parkade area, they found a large amount of cat litter clogging the plumbing system.

The strata council later learned the clogged pipe was only connected to four condos in that part of the building.

Investigators also found out that the tenant living in the fourth-floor condo owned three cats and kept a litter box in the bathroom.

The residents in the units below said they did not own cats and had no reason to use cat litter.

The condo owner, Manjit Minhas, admitted there had been plumbing issues affecting the lower units but argued his former tenant should not be blamed entirely for the damage.

Still, the tribunal decided that the clog likely came from that unit.

Under the building’s bylaws, owners are responsible for damage caused by tenants living in their condo, especially when the issue originates from their unit.

The water damage turned out to be serious enough that some neighbors had to temporarily move out while repairs and cleanup were being done.

The strata filed an insurance claim, paid a $50,000 deductible, and later tried to recover those costs from the owner.

In the end, the tribunal ordered Minhas to pay a total of about $54,569.

That amount included the insurance deductible, interest, tribunal costs, and fines connected to the tenant’s actions.

The strata had also tried to claim another roughly $30,000 for extra repairs, legal fees, and additional fines, but those requests were dismissed.

The post Condo Owner Hit With Nearly $55K Bill After Tenant Flushed Cat Litter appeared first on Gazette Review.

The Ambition, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line, had been held in Bordeaux after dozens of people onboard came down with a gastrointestinal disease. In total, 49 cases were reported.

French health officials later confirmed that the outbreak was caused by norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug that spreads easily between people and through contaminated surfaces.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

After testing, passengers who did not show symptoms were cleared to leave the ship, and cruise operations were allowed to continue.

Anyone who is sick, however, still has to remain isolated. The ship is also continuing with extra cleaning, medical checks, and stricter hygiene measures to prevent the virus from spreading.

According to the cruise line, a 92-year-old passenger died onboard Sunday. However, officials said he had not shown symptoms connected to the outbreak, and the cause of death remains unknown.

A separate passenger was also taken to a hospital in Bordeaux after suffering a fall. That person’s condition was reported to be stable, and the incident was not related to the virus outbreak.

At the time of the outbreak, there were around 1,187 passengers and more than 500 crew members onboard the ship.

Officials stressed there was no connection between this outbreak and the separate hantavirus situation linked to another cruise ship.

The Ambition originally departed Belfast on May 8, before stopping in Liverpool the following day. According to the cruise company, cases started going up after more passengers boarded the ship at that stop.

To prevent the virus from spreading, self-serve buffets on the ship were restricted, and utensils were handed out individually; pools and hot tubs were also shut down.

The common areas were also cleaned constantly while those who were sick stayed isolated inside their cabins.

Passengers were also reminded repeatedly to wash their hands frequently and to report any symptoms to the medical team onboard right away.

When the ship arrived for its scheduled stop in Bordeaux, the operator alerted French health authorities about the outbreak.

Health officials from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region later sent a medical team onboard to investigate and collect samples for testing.

The post Passengers Allowed Off Cruise Ship After Norovirus Outbreak appeared first on Gazette Review.