Famed Nepalese climber Purja among 6 still missing in Pak; 4 bodies found

Veteran Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja remained among six climbers missing after an avalanche struck an expedition on Pakistan's Broad Peak, where rescuers have recovered four bodies and continued search operations despite adverse weather, officials said on Friday, 31 July.

The avalanche hit the 8,051-metre peak in the Karakoram range, near K2, at an altitude of around 7,000 metres on Thursday, sweeping away a 10-member climbing team that had begun its summit push, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP). Broad Peak is the world's 12th-highest mountain and is regarded as one of the most technically demanding climbs.

The climbers — six from Nepal, and one each from Pakistan, Oman, the United States and China — lost contact at around 9.00 am local time after the avalanche.

ACP president Major-General Irfan Arshad said four bodies had been recovered during the rescue operation. He identified two of the deceased as Oman's Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy and Nepal's Pur Bahadur Gurung. The identities of the remaining two bodies have not yet been officially confirmed.

Besides Purja and Gurung, the Nepalese climbers involved were Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa.

The other missing climbers were Sohail Sakhi of Pakistan, Wang Zhong of China and Mallory Geis of the United States.

Search and rescue operations continued on Friday, but officials said poor weather and the challenging terrain had hampered efforts, with helicopters facing operational constraints.

Purja (43) rose to global prominence through the 2021 Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, which followed his record-breaking 2019 'Project Possible' expedition to climb all 14 mountains in the world above 8,000 metres in six months and six days.

A former member of Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Royal Marines' elite Special Boat Service, he has set multiple mountaineering records since becoming a full-time climber and expedition guide. In 2021, he was part of the 10-member Nepali team that achieved the first successful winter ascent of K2.

Nepal's minister for tourism, culture and civil aviation, Khadak Prasad Paudel, said the government was in regular contact with Pakistani authorities. "Deeply concerned by the reports of an avalanche and the loss of contact with Nirmal Purja 'Nims Dai' and fellow Nepali climbers in Pakistan,' Paudel said in a social media post. 'We are in regular contact with the Pakistani authorities and receiving updates on the situation. Our thoughts are with the climbers and their families. We remain hopeful for their safe return.'

The ACP said two Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters had been deployed for the rescue operation. According to the club, GPS coordinates received from some of the missing climbers indicated that the avalanche had swept the group nearly 1,000 metres downhill, leaving them trapped. It also expressed concern that some local high-altitude porters may have been caught in the avalanche.

The ACP said it was coordinating with government authorities to mobilise all available rescue resources. "Every possible effort is being made to ensure that helicopter support and all available rescue resources are mobilised at the earliest opportunity, subject to weather and operational conditions," it said.

Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister Amjad Hussain Advocate directed all relevant departments to remain on high alert and expedite the rescue operation in coordination with the Pakistan Army.

Pakistan's summer climbing season, which runs from June to August, is often marked by avalanches and rapidly changing weather, posing significant risks to mountaineers.

With PTI inputs