Rescuers recover climber Nirmal Purja's body after avalanche disaster

Rescuers have recovered the body of renowned climber Nirmal Purja on Sunday, August 2, after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in northern Pakistan on Thursday, killing him and nine members of his international expedition. Purja, a 43-year-old British-Nepali climber, was descending the 8,000-meter peak when the disaster occurred. The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed the tragedy, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of life.

The club stated that a ground rescue team had reached Purja at around 5,700m on the mountain, which he once called his own. Due to the treacherous terrain and harsh conditions, recovery efforts were deemed unlikely at this stage. Purja's expedition company confirmed on Saturday that none of the team members had survived the avalanche.

The mountaineering community and high-profile figures, including Britain's Prince William, have expressed their condolences to the climbers' families. Purja, a former Gurkha soldier and Royal Marine, has set numerous climbing records and was renowned for his ambition, having targeted the goal of climbing all 14 "seven summits" twice without oxygen.