Famous climber Nirmal Purja, 9 others die in Pakistan avalanche

A tragic avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak has claimed the lives of renowned British-Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja, 43, and all nine members of his expedition team. The climbers were swept away by the avalanche on July 30.

Rescue teams worked to recover the bodies, facing challenges due to adverse weather that initially grounded helicopters on July 31. Despite the conditions, four bodies were discovered, and three were successfully recovered, confirming the death of Purja. His agency, Elite Expeditions, issued a statement mourning the loss of "one of the greatest climbers in the mountaineering world."

Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal also confirmed the fatalities, stating, "Six Nepalis and four foreign climbers, including world record holder Purja, tragically died in the Karakoram mountain range." Purja, a former British Army soldier, gained international fame in 2019 by summiting all 14 of the world's highest mountains in a record 189 days, an achievement documented in the Netflix series "14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible." His record was surpassed in 2023.

Broad Peak is considered one of the most challenging mountains for climbers. Accidents are frequent in Pakistan's northern mountainous regions due to avalanches, rockfalls, high altitudes, and rapidly changing weather conditions.