Alpinist Nirmal Purja killed in avalanche under Broad Peak

Renowned alpinist Nirmal Purja died Friday in an avalanche beneath Broad Peak, the world's 12th highest mountain at 8,047 meters. The mountaineering agency Elite Exped, which Purja co-founded, confirmed his death and that of his climbing partners Pur Bahadur Gurung and Nima Sherpa.

"No words can alleviate the pain of this unimaginable loss, and we ask everyone to respect their privacy during this time of grief," Elite Exped stated. The agency also mourned the loss of every life claimed by the tragedy.

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Today we mourn not only Nims but every life lost in this tragedy, including his trusted climbing partners and guides, Pur Bahadur Gurung (Yukta) and Nima Sherpa.

Pakistani rescue teams initially faced adverse weather but resumed operations in the Gilgit-Baltistan region once conditions improved. Using drone footage, rescuers located the bodies of the missing members in the challenging terrain. Three bodies from the ten-person international expedition were previously transported for identification: one from the USA, one from Oman, and one from Nepal.

Purja gained international fame in 2019 for completing "Project Possible," climbing all 14 of the world's eight-thousanders in just 189 days, shattering the previous record. His feat was documented in the film "14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible." Before his mountaineering career, Purja served in the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and later the Special Boat Service, experiences that informed his expedition planning. He began high-altitude mountaineering in 2012.

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No words can alleviate the pain of this unimaginable loss, and we ask everyone to respect their privacy in this time of grief.