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Rescuers recover body of renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja from Broad Peak
🇸🇰 Slovakia /Disasters & Emergencies

Rescuers recover body of renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja from Broad Peak

From SME · () Slovak

Translated from Slovak, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Rescuers have recovered the body of renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja from Broad Peak in Pakistan.
  • Purja and nine members of his expedition died in a massive avalanche earlier this week.
  • The recovery operation was challenging due to high altitude and adverse weather conditions.

Rescuers have successfully recovered the body of Nirmal Purja, the celebrated Nepali mountaineer, from Broad Peak in northern Pakistan. Purja, along with nine members of his expedition team, tragically perished earlier this week when a massive avalanche struck during their ascent of the 12th highest mountain in the world.

The Pakistan Mountaineering Club confirmed the recovery, stating that the ground rescue team reached Purja at an altitude of approximately 5,700 meters. "Broad Peak – the mountain he loved and which has now taken him from us," the club posted on social media, reflecting the tragic loss.

Ayaz Shigri, the club's general secretary, informed AFP that Purja's body and those of three other individuals were retrieved during a difficult high-altitude operation. Adverse weather conditions significantly complicated the rescue efforts. Local authorities reported that the remains of three climbers – an Omani, a Nepali, and an American – were airlifted to Skardu on Friday.

The ground rescue team reached Nimso Dai (Purja) at an altitude of approximately 5700 meters on Broad Peak – the mountain he loved and which has now taken him from us.

— Pakistan Mountaineering ClubAnnouncing the recovery of Nirmal Purja's body and reflecting on the tragedy.

Purja, a former member of the British Gurkhas and the elite Special Boat Service, had become a global figure in mountaineering. He set a record in 2019 by climbing all 14 eight-thousanders in just over six months, a feat later documented in the Netflix film "14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible." He also led the first winter ascent of K2 in 2021. Purja had recently expressed his ambition to be the first person to summit all 14 highest peaks twice without supplemental oxygen, posting on X, "Broad Peak, I ask for nothing but a safe climb and return."

The avalanche and the deaths of Purja's team members have sent shockwaves of grief through the mountaineering community, particularly in Nepal. Prominent figures, including Britain's Prince William, have extended their condolences to the families of the deceased climbers.

Broad Peak, I ask for nothing but a safe climb and return.

— Nirmal PurjaPurja's last known social media post before his death, expressing his hopes for the climb.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by SME in Slovak. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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