GILGIT: Renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja died along with other members of his team in a powerful avalanche on Broad Peak, his climbing company confirmed on Saturday.
The avalanche struck on Thursday, cutting off contact with the international expedition led by the 43-year-old British-Nepali climber.
“It is with profound sadness and immense heartbreak that we confirm that Nirmal Purja tragically lost his life following the avalanche on Broad Peak,” Purja’s company, Elite Expeditions, said on social media.
“We have also received confirmation that other members of the expedition sadly did not survive,” it added.
Purja, who served with Britain’s Brigade of Gurkhas before joining the Royal Marines’ Special Boat Service, broke multiple climbing records after becoming a full-time mountaineer and expedition guide.
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah offered his condolences over the “tragic” deaths of Purja and the other climbers, saying the incident “has shocked us”.
Body recovered
The rescue and search team at Broad Peak recovered another body on Saturday and spotted more bodies of the missing climbers. However, one climber remains missing.
On Friday, rescue teams recovered three bodies of the missing climbers, identified as Oman’s Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, Nepal’s Pur Bahadur Gurung and Sarah Mallory Geis of the US, whose leg was recovered. The remains were airlifted to Skardu.
According to the local administration, a three-member civilian rescue team led by renowned mountaineer Sarbaz Khan resumed its ground mission on Saturday morning to locate the remaining missing climbers.
Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) President Irfan Arshad Khan told Dawn that the search operation for the remaining missing climbers was continuing at Broad Peak. He said the body of another climber, Nepal’s Gyalu Sherpa, had been recovered.
“The bodies are located in an extremely difficult and dangerous area where recovery operations could be highly risky.”
With input from agencies
Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2026
