ISLAMABAD, World-renowned mountaineer Nirmal “Nims” Purja is among ten international climbers reported missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak, one of the world’s highest mountains in Pakistan’s Karakoram range, prompting an urgent search and rescue operation.
According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the avalanche hit the expedition team on Thursday, and there has been no communication with the climbers since the incident.
International Expedition Missing
The expedition was led by Nirmal Purja, the Nepal-born British mountaineer widely known as Nims Dai, and included climbers from several countries.
The missing team comprises:
- Five climbers from Nepal
- One climber from Pakistan
- One climber from the United States
- One climber from Oman
- One climber from China
- One additional foreign climber
Pakistani authorities and the Alpine Club are coordinating emergency response efforts while monitoring weather conditions for possible helicopter deployment.
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Rescue Operation Underway
The Alpine Club of Pakistan said it is working closely with government agencies to mobilize helicopters and mountain rescue resources as quickly as operational conditions allow.
Officials noted that adverse weather and the high-altitude terrain remain major challenges for rescue teams. (AP News)
Who Is Nirmal Purja?
Nirmal Purja, 43, is regarded as one of the world’s most accomplished high-altitude mountaineers.
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He gained global recognition in 2019 after climbing all 14 mountains higher than 8,000 meters in just 189 days, shattering the previous record. His achievement was later featured in the Netflix documentary “14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.” (AP News)
A former member of the British Army and the Royal Marines, Purja has completed numerous record-breaking expeditions in the Himalayas and Karakoram.
Broad Peak
Standing at 8,047 meters (26,401 feet), Broad Peak is the 12th-highest mountain in the world and is located in Pakistan’s Karakoram Range, close to K2.
Pakistan hosts five of the world’s fourteen peaks above 8,000 meters, attracting climbers from across the globe every year.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the fate of the missing climbers, and rescue operations remain ongoing.
