- Elite Expeditions confirmed that Nirmal Purja, 43, lost his life in the avalanche on Broad Peak, where he was among 10 people killed.
- The Prince of Wales expressed profound sorrow and wrote that he was 'truly saddened' by Nirmal Purja’s death.
- Purja was leading an expedition of 10 climbers on Broad Peak, the world’s 12th highest mountain, when the avalanche struck around midday on Thursday.
- In his last post, Purja said he had not intended to climb Broad Peak, but realized that doing so could make him the 'first person in history to climb all 14 eight-thousanders twice without oxygen'.
- Pakistani officials said the bodies of three climbers from Purja's expedition were recovered: American Mallory Geis, Omani Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, and Nepali Pur Bahadur Gurung.
- Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah confirmed Purja's death, saying the deaths of six Nepalese and four other foreign climbers 'has shocked us'.
- Purja's older brother Kamal wrote, 'We will miss you every single day,' and added, 'Although our hearts are broken, we are incredibly proud of you. Your legacy will live forever.'
- Alpine Club of Pakistan spokesperson Naila Kiani said the club feared all the climbers were dead, and rescuers had seen some bodies but were yet to reach them.
- Purja collaborated with Spencer Matthews on the documentary 'Finding Michael'; Matthews shared prayers 'for a miracle' and called the Broad Peak news heartbreaking.
Nirmal Purja, a celebrated mountaineer and former British special forces soldier, tragically lost his life in an avalanche on Broad Peak, Pakistan, on Thursday. His company, Elite Expeditions, confirmed his death, stating, "Today, it is with profound sadness and immense heartbreak that we confirm that Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja... tragically lost his life following the avalanche on Broad Peak."123467
Purja, 43, was leading an expedition of 10 climbers when the avalanche struck. The incident also claimed the lives of several others, including his trusted climbing partners, Pur Bahadur Gurung and Nima Sherpa. The company expressed condolences, stating, "We mourn not only Nims, but every life lost in this tragedy..."58
The Prince of Wales expressed his sorrow, calling Purja "truly unique" and highlighting his contributions to mountaineering. He stated, "I was truly saddened to hear of the tragic death of Nirmal Purja and those who lost their lives in the avalanche on Broad Peak."
Purja gained international fame in 2019 for climbing all 14 of the world’s peaks above 8,000 meters in just 189 days, a feat documented in the Netflix film 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. He was awarded an MBE for his achievements in extreme high-altitude mountaineering and was the first Gurkha to summit Everest while serving in the British military.
His brother Kamal shared, "We will miss you every single day... Your legacy will live forever." UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting also expressed sadness, calling Purja an "inspirational man" whose adventures are known worldwide.1011
“Purja was leading 10 climbers on Broad Peak when the avalanche struck Thursday, and officials recovered the bodies of American Mallory Geis, Omani Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy and Nepali Pur Bahadur Gurung. His final post said the climb could make him the “first person in history to climb all 14 eight-thousanders twice. Without oxygen.””
The Independent
BBC
