Broad Peak avalanche: Rescue teams yet to reach bodies spotted by drone

Rescue operations continued Sunday for climbers caught in an avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak, but teams had not yet reached bodies reportedly seen by a drone, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan. The club's president, Irfan Arshad Khan, confirmed that rescue teams were mobilized early Sunday. Elite Exped also confirmed the death of its founder, renowned Nepali climber Nirmal Purja, known as Nimsdai. However, Khan stated that details about other missing climbers would only be released after official confirmation, emphasizing respect for the missing and their families. Earlier, rescue teams recovered three bodies during Friday's operation: Pur Bahadur Gurung of Nepal, Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy of Oman, and Sarah Mallory of the United States. These bodies were airlifted to a military hospital for legal and identification procedures. A civilian rescue team recovered the bodies from Camp II. Khan noted that the area where the drone spotted bodies is highly dangerous due to the ongoing risk of avalanches. "Rescue teams have not yet reached the location where the bodies are believed to have been spotted by the drone. The area is extremely vulnerable to avalanches," he said. Ten climbers in total were caught in the avalanche on Thursday. Mingma Gyabu Sherpa, Nimsdai's business partner, provided updates from the ground, indicating plans to move recovered bodies to Camp 1 on Sunday and then to the base camp on Monday, with potential helicopter evacuation if weather permits.

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Our rescue teams have been mobilised since this morning.