10 Climbers Including Nirmal Purja Missing After Avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak
Islamabad — A team of ten mountaineers, including Nepal-born former Royal Marine Nirmal Purja, is feared missing after an avalanche struck Pakistan’s Broad Peak, officials confirmed on Friday. The avalanche hit the 8,047-metre peak in the Karakoram range around midday on Thursday, and no communication has been established with the team since, Pakistani mountaineering authorities said.
Nirmal Purja, 38, is a high-altitude mountaineer who gained global fame in 2019 for climbing all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in just six months and six days. He also led a rescue operation on Mount Everest in 2021. The missing team also includes foreign climbers; their nationalities have not been officially confirmed.
Broad Peak, the 12th highest mountain on Earth, is known for its challenging ascent and unpredictable weather. Avalanches in the region are common, but the scale of this incident has raised concerns among climbers and local authorities. Search and rescue efforts have been hampered by poor weather and difficult terrain, officials said.
Pakistan’s tourism department is coordinating with international partners and has dispatched helicopters for aerial reconnaissance. However, as of Friday evening, no sign of the climbers has been spotted. “We are doing everything possible to locate them, but conditions are extremely dangerous,” a spokesperson said.
The incident highlights the inherent risks of high-altitude mountaineering. In 2022, a similar avalanche on an 8,000-metre peak in Nepal killed two climbers. The world’s mountaineering community is closely monitoring the situation, hoping for a miracle.
Karrar Haidri, Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said the team was attempting to summit Broad Peak. “They were experienced climbers, but the avalanche was sudden and powerful. We are in contact with rescue teams and the families,” he said.
Nirmal Purja’s wife, Suchi Purja, posted on social media asking for prayers and urging caution on sharing unconfirmed information. The British Foreign Office said it is in contact with local authorities.
Broad Peak is located in the Karakoram range, near the China-Pakistan border. The region has seen numerous mountaineering accidents due to crevasses, avalanches, and altitude sickness. The missing climbers’ expedition was reportedly part of a commercial venture.
