Ten Climbers, Including Renowned Mountaineer Nirmal Purja, Confirmed Dead in Broad Peak Avalanche

Kathmandu / Aug. 1: The deaths of all 10 climbers, including renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, have been officially confirmed following the avalanche that struck Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram region on Thursday.

Four bodies of the missing climbers were recovered on Friday, while six others had remained unaccounted for. On Saturday, the Nimsdai Foundation and Elite Exped officially confirmed through social media that all those caught in the avalanche had lost their lives.

Among the victims were six Nepali climbers, including Purja, a former British Gurkha born in Dana, Myagdi. The other Nepali climbers who died were Pur Bahadur Gurung, Nima Sherpa, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa, and Nawang Thindu Sherpa.

The four foreign climbers who lost their lives were Sohel Shakhi of Pakistan, Wang Zhong of China, Nadira Ahmed of Oman, and Mallory Geis of the United States.

Purja rose to international prominence in 2019 after setting a world record by climbing all 14 of the world’s peaks above 8,000 meters in just six months and six days. He went on to achieve several other notable mountaineering records.

According to reports, the avalanche swept the climbers approximately 800 meters downhill from an altitude of more than 6,000 meters. Rescue efforts were severely hampered by adverse weather conditions.

Member of the House of Representatives Mingma Gyabu Sherpa, a professional colleague of Purja, departed for Pakistan on Friday to assist in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Among the deceased Nepali climbers, Pur Bahadur Gurung was from Gorkha, Kili Pemba Sherpa from Dolakha, Gyalu Sherpa from Okhaldhunga, and Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Nima Sherpa were from Sankhuwasabha.