The remains of renowned British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja and three other members of an international expedition have been recovered from Broad Peak in northern Pakistan following a fatal avalanche, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan. The disaster struck the 43-year-old mountaineer and his nine team members on Thursday, cutting off communication before ground search teams mobilized over the weekend.
Ground and Air Recovery Operations Led by Alpine Club of Pakistan
According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, ground rescue teams reached Purja at approximately 5,700 meters on Broad Peak, a mountain club officials noted he deeply loved. Ayaz Shigri, general secretary of the club, confirmed that rescuers transported four bodies down the mountain, identifying them as Purja, two other Nepali nationals, and a Chinese citizen. Military and civilian volunteers supported the multi-day recovery effort alongside local guides.
Search operations faced severe constraints due to adverse mountain weather. On Friday, rescuers located four additional bodies but were only able to retrieve three—Omani national Nathira Ahmed, American climber Mallory Geis, and Nepalese climber Bahadur Gurung—because harsh conditions grounded search-and-rescue helicopters, according to the Associated Press. Military-backed teams resumed searches Sunday for remaining missing members, including Pakistani guide Sohail Sakhi.
Identifying the Victims and Expedition Members
The Alpine Club of Pakistan officially identified the four climbers found by the ground team as Nirmal Purja, Wang Zhong, Nima Sherpa, and Kili Pemba Sherpa. Alpine Club President Irfan Arshad Khan described the tragedy as an immeasurable loss to the global mountaineering community, paying tribute to the military personnel, civilian rescuers, and Sherpas involved in the hazardous search mission.
Family members and colleagues shared tributes following confirmation of the fatalities. A statement released by the family of Mallory Geis described her as a bright light loved deeply by friends and family. Meanwhile, Purja’s expedition company issued a statement on Saturday mourning the loss of a leader who inspired millions through courage and humility.
Legacy of Nirmal Purja and Expedition Background
Purja, widely known as Nims Dai, was a Nepal-born former British Army soldier who achieved global renown in 2019 by climbing the world’s 14 highest peaks in a record 189 days. That milestone achievement was documented in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. His record was subsequently broken in 2023.
The ill-fated expedition on Broad Peak was also expected to be the final climb for Pakistani guide Sohail Sakhi, who worked with the adventure travel company Moving Mountains. Sakhi was an experienced high-altitude photographer and geographer who had previously scaled several major world peaks. Search teams continued efforts to locate missing personnel as weather conditions permitted.