Nirmal Purja among 10 climbers caught in avalanche on Broad Peak

World-renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, a former British Special Forces soldier, is among 10 climbers caught in a deadly avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak. Rescuers on Friday said four bodies had been found, with efforts under way to retrieve them despite harsh weather.

Deadly Avalanche on Broad Peak

The avalanche struck on Thursday morning, with GPS trackers indicating a sudden loss of altitude. According to Climbing magazine, trackers showed descents of 543 metres for US climber Mallory Geis and 1,651 metres for Omani climber Nadhira Alharthy. The incident occurred on the west ridge, the most popular ascent route, at an altitude of approximately 6,579 metres, between camps two and three.

Those Missing and Claimed by the Avalanche

Among the dead, two have been identified: Nepali citizen Pur Bahadur Gurung and Nadhira Alharthy, the first Omani to summit Everest. Still missing are US climber Mallory Geis, Chinese national Wang Zhong, and several Pakistani and Nepali high-altitude workers. A spokesperson for police in the Gilgit-Baltistan region said preliminary reports indicated four bodies had been recovered, and the condition of the remaining climbers was still being verified.

Purja's Legendary Career

Purja, also known as Nims Dai, made history in 2019 by climbing all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres in just over six months, shattering the previous record. He later led the first successful winter ascent of K2, the world's second-highest mountain. His extraordinary achievements have made him one of the most celebrated figures in high-altitude mountaineering.

Tracking Data and Uncertainty

Mingma Gyabu Sherpa, Purja's business partner, noted that Purja's tracker appeared to have moved after the initial rapid descent. "Initially, it appeared that he had been swept downhill by the avalanche," he told the Nepali news site Kantipur. "But after the point where the tracking had stopped, the location appears to have shifted again." He added that a search team was sent overland to the suspected avalanche site to verify reports that one climber's location appeared near the foot of the mountain. The Alpine Club of Pakistan said the team had been out of communication since the avalanche, and helicopters and drones were being mobilised, subject to weather and operational conditions.

Ongoing Rescue and Implications

Rescue efforts are hampered by harsh weather, but authorities are determined to retrieve the bodies and search for the remaining climbers. The incident highlights the inherent dangers of high-altitude mountaineering, even for the most experienced climbers. The global climbing community awaits further updates as search teams work against the clock, hoping for a miracle amid the grim toll.