- The remains of Nirmal Purja and three other climbers were found by a ground team on Broad Peak, where a 10-member international expedition was swept away by an avalanche, officials said Sunday.
- Before the four were found, rescue teams had recovered only three climbers — Omani Nathira Ahmed, American Mallory Geis and Nepalese Bahadur Gurung — because harsh weather grounded search-and-rescue helicopters. Geis’ family remembered her as “a bright light who was loved deeply by her family and friends.”
- Military-backed rescue teams resumed the search for two remaining climbers on Sunday and continued efforts to bring down the bodies of Purja and the three others.
- Purja, known as Nims Dai, was a Nepal-born former British Army soldier who led the expedition. He climbed the world’s 14 highest peaks in a record 189 days in 2019, an achievement featured in the Netflix documentary “14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.” His record was broken in 2023.
- Purja’s expedition company said the world had lost one of mountaineering’s greats and described him as “a leader who inspired millions through his courage, humility and unwavering belief that human potential is far greater than we often imagine.”
- Alpine Club of Pakistan President Irfan Arshad Khan described the tragedy as “an immeasurable loss to the global mountaineering fraternity.”
- Pakistani guide Sohail Sakhi, who worked with Moving Mountains, had expected the expedition to be his last; his body remained missing on Sunday.
- The Alpine Club of Pakistan identified the recovered climbers as Purja, Wang Zhong, Nima Sherpa and Kili Pemba Sherpa.
The bodies of renowned climber Nirmal Purja and three others were recovered from Broad Peak after an avalanche struck their expedition, which included ten climbers. The Alpine Club of Pakistan identified the deceased as Purja, Wang Zhong, Nima Sherpa, and Kili Pemba Sherpa.19
Search efforts resumed for the two remaining climbers, Omani Nathira Ahmed and American Mallory Geis, whose family described her as “a bright light who was loved deeply”. Harsh weather had previously grounded rescue helicopters, complicating recovery efforts.
Purja, a former British Army soldier, was celebrated for his record-breaking climbs, including summiting the world’s 14 highest peaks in just 189 days in 2019, a feat highlighted in the Netflix documentary “14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.” His expedition company mourned his loss, stating he was “a leader who inspired millions” through his courage and humility.5
Alpine Club of Pakistan President Irfan Arshad Khan called the incident “an immeasurable loss to the global mountaineering fraternity.” The expedition was expected to be the last for Pakistani guide Sohail Sakhi, whose body remains missing.78
“Alpine Club of Pakistan identified the recovered climbers as Purja, Wang Zhong, Nima Sherpa and Kili Pemba Sherpa. Purja, known as Nims Dai, climbed the world's 14 highest peaks in a record 189 days in 2019, a feat featured in the Netflix documentary "14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible."”
