Rescuers have recovered the bodies of four climbers, including renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, from the site of a deadly avalanche on Broad Peak in northern Pakistan. The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed the recovery in a social media post on Sunday, August 2, stating ground teams reached the remains at approximately 5,700 meters on the mountain.
The avalanche struck a 10-member international expedition led by Purja on Thursday, August 1, cutting off all contact with the group. On Saturday, August 3, Purja’s expedition company, Elite Exped, confirmed that no survivors remained among the climbers. The recovered climbers were identified as Purja, Wang Zhong, Nima Sherpa, and Kili Pemba Sherpa, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
Military-backed rescue teams resumed search operations on Sunday for the six remaining missing climbers, while efforts continued to retrieve the recovered bodies amid harsh weather conditions that had previously grounded helicopters. On Friday, rescuers located four additional bodies but were able to recover only three—Omani Nathira Ahmed, American Mallory Geis, and Nepalese Bahadur Gurung—due to the challenging conditions.
Tributes and Reactions
Purja, a 43-year-old British-Nepali climber, was widely celebrated for his mountaineering achievements, including a record-breaking ascent of all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in 189 days in 2019, an accomplishment featured in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. His death prompted tributes from global figures, including Prince William, who praised him as “one of the world’s greatest mountaineers.”
Elite Exped described Purja as “a leader who inspired millions through his courage, humility, and unwavering belief in human potential.” The Alpine Club of Pakistan called the tragedy “an immeasurable loss to the global mountaineering fraternity,” honoring the military, civilian rescuers, and Sherpas involved in the search.
Expedition Details and Composition
The expedition consisted of five Nepali climbers, along with participants from the United States, Pakistan, Oman, and China, spread across four teams. The group was leading a multinational climb on Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain, when the avalanche struck around noon on Thursday.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan and local officials praised the coordinated rescue efforts, noting the extreme difficulties posed by high-altitude conditions and severe weather. Family members of the deceased, including a statement from Geis’ relatives, expressed profound grief. “Mallory was a bright light who was loved deeply by her family and friends,” the statement read. “She will be profoundly missed.”
Search operations are ongoing, with authorities emphasizing the challenges of recovering all remaining bodies in the treacherous terrain.