Noted climber Nirmal Purja among 10 dead in avalanche in Pakistan - officials

Renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja has been confirmed dead following a powerful avalanche on one of the world's highest peaks, Broad Peak, in Pakistan, according to his climbing company. The 43-year-old was among ten climbers who went missing after the avalanche struck on Thursday while they were attempting to summit the mountain at an altitude of approximately 6,600 meters.

Elite Exped, Purja's company, stated in a social media post that they were "deeply saddened" by the loss of their leader and confirmed that other members of the expedition did not survive. The remains of three mountaineers, including an American woman, an Omani woman, and a Nepali man, were recovered by search teams. Purja, a British-Nepali mountaineer, was leading the expedition and had previously broken multiple climbing records, including becoming the first person to climb all 14 of the eight-thousanders (peaks above 8,000 meters) in six months and six days.

He had expressed his desire for safe passage up and down the mountain in a post on social media. British adventurer Bear Grylls also paid tribute to Purja, describing him as a "remarkable and unique man" and expressing the collective grief of the climbing community. Broad Peak, located in the Karakoram range in northern Pakistan, is considered one of the most challenging and technical 8,000-meter-plus ascents.