Bodies of climber Nirmal Purja, six others recovered after Pakistan avalanche

The bodies of seven climbers, including the celebrated Nepali-British mountaineer Nirmal Purja, have been recovered from Broad Peak in Pakistan's Karakoram range. An avalanche struck the 8,051-meter peak three days ago, trapping a ten-member international expedition. Three climbers, including a Pakistani guide, remain missing.

Rescue teams located four bodies on Friday but could only bring three down due to bad weather grounding helicopters. These included Pur Bahadur Gurung, Nadhira Al Harthy, and Mallory Geis. On Sunday, a ground team recovered Purja's body along with those of Wang Zhong and Nima Sherpa and Kili Pemba Sherpa.

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inspired millions through his courage and humility.

Purja, also known as Nims Dai, was a former Gurkha and special forces soldier who gained global fame in 2019 for climbing all 14 of the world's 8,000-meter peaks in a record 189 days. His death has sent ripples beyond climbing circles, with his expedition company, Elite Exped, remembering him as a leader who "inspired millions through his courage and humility."

The retrieval mission faces challenges due to the remote and treacherous terrain, as well as Pakistan's limited capacity for long-line helicopter rescues compared to Nepal. The expedition comprised climbers from Nepal, Pakistan, Oman, the United States, and China, highlighting Broad Peak's international allure as one of the most demanding ascents.

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the climbers’ courage, dedication and contributions would remain an inspiration, even though their physical journey had ended.