Pakistan search team reaches base camp with body of renowned climber Nirmal Purja

A search team has successfully transported the bodies of renowned climber Nirmal Purja and three of his team members to the base camp of Broad Peak, following a devastating avalanche. The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) confirmed the recovery on August 5, marking a significant milestone after a challenging operation.

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On behalf of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, it is announced with great sadness to confirm that, following an exceptionally challenging and technically demanding recovery operation on Broad Peak, the bodies of Nirmal Purja, Zhong Wang, Nima Sherpa and Kilu Sherpa have been successfully recovered and have now arrived safely at Base Camp.

The avalanche struck on July 30, tragically ending contact with the 10-person international expedition led by the 43-year-old British-Nepali mountaineer. Purja's company confirmed that there were no survivors from the incident.

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While today marks an important milestone, three climbers remain missing.

The ACP announced the safe arrival of Purja, Chinese climber Zhong Wang, and Nepali climbers Nima Sherpa and Kilu Sherpa at Base Camp. However, the club noted that three other climbers, an American woman, an Omani woman, and a Nepali man, remain missing. Their remains were previously flown to Skardu. The bodies of two Nepali nationals and one Pakistani citizen are still unaccounted for.

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We remain committed to supporting all possible efforts to locate and recover them, whenever conditions allow, so that they too may be returned home to their loved ones.

The alpine climbing community is in shock and mourning, with leaders describing the loss as the passing of a "generation of accomplished mountaineers." The ACP stated its commitment to continuing efforts to locate the remaining missing climbers when conditions allow, aiming to return them to their families for dignified burials.

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We have lost a generation of accomplished mountaineers.