Avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak leaves 10 climbers missing, including renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja
An avalanche struck the 8,047-metre Broad Peak in the Karakoram range around midday Thursday, cutting off communication with a 10-member expedition led by the Nepal-born British climber Nirmal Purja.
Avalanche on Broad Peak
An avalanche struck Broad Peak, the world's 12th highest mountain at 8,047 metres, around midday on Thursday in Pakistan's Karakoram range. The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) reported that a 10-member international expedition led by Nirmal Purja was hit, and there has been no communication with the climbers since. The club's vice-president, Karrar Haidri, confirmed the incident in a statement late Thursday.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan has received particularly worrying information that an avalanche struck a team of climbers on Broad Peak (8,047 m) in the Karakoram range.
The missing expedition
The team included five Nepalese climbers, Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi of Hunza, Omani climber Nathira, American Mallory Geis, a Chinese climber identified as Wang, and one other foreign national whose identity has not been disclosed. All 10 remain unaccounted for, with no contact established since the avalanche. The ACP said it was working closely with government officials to launch an immediate search-and-rescue operation, with helicopters on standby if weather conditions allow.
Nirmal Purja's mountaineering legacy
Nirmal Purja, also known as Nims Dai, is a Nepal-born British citizen and former Royal Marine who gained global fame for climbing all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks in just 189 days in 2019. That feat shattered the previous record of seven years and 10 months and was chronicled in the Netflix documentary "14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible." Purja, 43, holds six Guinness World Records for speed ascents and opted to use supplementary oxygen during his record-breaking push, citing the immense scale of the challenge. He joined the British Army in 2003 and became a Royal Marine in 2009, later beginning his climbing career after a trek to Everest base camp in 2012.
Search and rescue underway
The ACP's president, Maj. Gen. Irfan Arshad, and senior leaders are in contact with Pakistani authorities to mobilise helicopters and other rescue resources as quickly as possible, subject to weather and operational constraints. The club said it was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with all relevant stakeholders.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with all concerned stakeholders. The club stands in solidarity with the climbers' families and the international mountaineering community.
Broad Peak, part of the Karakoram range, is a frequent destination for high-altitude expeditions, and Pakistan is home to several of the world's tallest summits. The missing climbers' families and the wider mountaineering community await further updates as the rescue effort continues.
