Renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, others perish in Broad Peak avalanche, climbing company confirms

Renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, alongside other team members, perished in a powerful avalanche on Broad Peak, a confirmation provided by his climbing company Elite Expeditions on Saturday. The avalanche occurred on Thursday, disrupting contact with the international expedition led by Purja, a 43-year-old British-Nepali climber.

Elite Expeditions expressed profound sadness and immense heartbreak over the tragic loss of Purja and other expedition members. Among the recovered remains were an American woman, an Omani woman, and a Nepali man, as reported by the Gilgit-Baltistan government. Purja, who served in Britain’s Brigade of Gurkhas before becoming a full-time mountaineer and tour guide, had broken multiple climbing records.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah expressed condolences, stating that the physical journey of the deceased climbers would forever remain inspiring due to their courage and dedication. The Pakistani police announced that a second day of rescue operations was underway on Saturday, amid challenging terrain and high-altitude weather conditions.

The avalanche struck while the mountaineers were ascending at around 6,600 meters, while attempting to reach the summit of Broad Peak, the world's 12th highest mountain. The expedition, comprising 10 individuals, was last in contact on Thursday morning, with avalanche data indicating that they were hurled hundreds of meters down the mountainside.