Renowned Nepali climber Nirmal Purja among ten killed in Broad Peak avalanche
A Pakistani avalanche on Broad Peak claimed the lives of ten mountaineers, including celebrated Nepali climber Nirmal Purja, with rescue teams still working to retrieve the bodies.
Celebrated Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja died in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan, officials said on Saturday. The 43-year-old, known for his record-breaking speed ascents of all 14 eight-thousand-metre peaks, was part of a ten-person expedition that was struck by the slide on Thursday.
Elite Exped, the company that organized the climb, confirmed via social media that Purja and other members of the team did not survive. The bodies were located at a difficult site and have not yet been recovered.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah of Nepal expressed his shock at the deaths, noting that the climbers' achievements would remain an inspiration. U.K. defence minister Wes Streeting also said he was saddened by the loss, describing Purja as an inspirational figure who served in the British armed forces.
Six of the ten climbers were Nepali; the others were from Pakistan, Oman, the United States and China. Search crews recovered three bodies on Friday, and drone footage helped identify the remaining victims, according to Chhang Dawa Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks. He said the terrain and safety considerations have delayed retrieval.
Deputy director of tourism for Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region, Sajid Hussain, said rescue operations continue, with teams having pinpointed the victims' locations but still unable to bring them down safely. The incident highlights the challenges of high-altitude rescue in the region, where long-line helicopter retrieval is not commonly practiced.