Netflix mountaineer Nirmal Purja dies in Pakistan avalanche

Renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, celebrated for his record-breaking ascent of all 14 eight-thousander peaks in a single season, has died in Pakistan following a devastating avalanche. His company confirmed his tragic death, expressing deep sorrow and immense grief.

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With deep sorrow and immense grief, we confirm the tragic passing of Nirmal Purja.

The accident occurred on Thursday on Broad Peak, a mountain standing at approximately 8,050 meters. Contact with Purja's ten-person expedition team was lost on Thursday morning after a massive avalanche struck. A large-scale rescue operation was initiated.

According to the Alpine Club Pakistan (ACP), the deceased climbers include six from Nepal, one from Pakistan, one from China, one from the USA, and one from Oman. Purja, also known as Nims Dai, was a British national of Nepali origin and led the expedition.

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The tragic death of six Nepalis and four other foreign climbers, including world record holder Nirmal Purja, in Pakistan's Karakoram mountain range shocks us.

Purja gained international fame in 2019 for summiting all 14 eight-thousanders in a remarkable seven months, a feat documented in the Netflix series "14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible." The film highlighted the extreme conditions and life-or-death stakes of his expeditions. He also authored a bestselling autobiography.

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What remains is not only the grief over his death, but also the memory of a life lived to the fullest.

Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah expressed shock at the deaths of the climbers, including the world record holder. Mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner remembered Purja as someone who lived life to the fullest, calling it a privilege to have known him.

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When I told people about the project, they laughed. They said it wouldn't be possible.