Famed 43-year-old British-Nepali climber Nirmal “Nims” Purja and nine members of his international expedition team have died after a massive avalanche struck Broad Peak (8,051m) in the Karakoram range.
Rescuers recovered Purja’s body on Sunday along with several other members, bringing a tragic end to the search operation that began when contact was lost with the team on July 30.
Key Details & Summary of Events
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Final Sightings Before the Incident:
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Tour operator Karakoram Vision shared footage on Instagram taken from base camp on July 30, showing Purja’s 10-member international team ascending the upper slopes before a massive avalanche suddenly triggered above them.
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Spectators at base camp reported that once the snow cleared, none of the climbers were visible on the mountain.
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Casualties & Body Recovery Operations:
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Ground rescue teams located Purja’s body at an altitude of approximately 5,700 meters.
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Recovery efforts led by Alpine Club General Secretary Ayaz Shigri confirmed the transport of four bodies down the mountain, including Purja, two Nepali nationals, and a Chinese citizen.
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Remains of three other team members—an Omani woman, a Nepali man, and an American woman—were previously recovered and flown to Skardu.
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One additional body remains at a higher elevation; however, hazardous terrain and severe weather conditions make recovery attempts unlikely at this stage.
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Confirmation & Global Condolences:
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Purja’s expedition company confirmed on Saturday that there were no survivors among the 10-member team.
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The tragedy has drawn widespread grief across the international mountaineering community and sparked tributes from global figures, including Britain’s Prince William.
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