Rescue teams have successfully located the body of renowned climber Nirmal Purja, who tragically lost his life along with nine other expedition members in an avalanche earlier this week in northern Pakistan.
The avalanche occurred on Thursday on Broad Peak, a summit exceeding 8,000 meters, disrupting communications with the international expedition led by the 43-year-old Nepalese-British climber.
According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, Purja, affectionately known as Nims Dai, was found at an altitude of approximately 5,700 meters on Broad Peak, a mountain he cherished and that has now claimed him.
His company, Elite Expeditions, had confirmed on Saturday that none of the expedition’s members survived. Local authorities previously reported the recovery of three climbers—a woman from Oman, a man from Nepal, and a woman from the United States—who were airlifted to Skardu on Friday.
The expedition included a Chinese national and several other Nepalese climbers, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
This tragic event has deeply impacted the climbing community, especially in Nepal, with several notable figures, including Prince William, extending condolences to the victims’ families.
Nirmal Purja Broke Numerous Climbing Records
A former member of the British Gurkha Brigade and later the Royal Marines’ Special Boat Service, Nirmal Purja shattered numerous climbing records after dedicating himself solely to this sport and his work as a mountain guide.
In 2019, he achieved the remarkable feat of summiting all 14 of the world’s “eight-thousanders”—mountains over 8,000 meters—in just six months and six days, later becoming the subject of the Netflix documentary “14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible,” which brought him widespread fame.
Earlier this week, he announced on social media that he was on the verge of becoming the first climber to reach all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters twice, without using supplemental oxygen.
“Broad Peak, I ask for nothing more than a safe ascent and descent,” he wrote.
Broad Peak is the 12th highest mountain in the world and is known for one of the most challenging and technical ascents among all peaks over 8,000 meters. It was first climbed by an Austrian team in 1957.
