Kathmandu, July 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A major avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak has left four climbers dead and six others missing, with celebrated mountaineer Nirmal Purja among those yet to be traced, according to Pakistani authorities.
The avalanche struck the 8,047-metre peak in the Karakoram range on July 30 during an international expedition led by Purja, popularly known as “Nims Dai”. Search and rescue operations are continuing as authorities work to locate the missing climbers.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) has confirmed the deaths of two climbers — Pur Bahadur Gurung of Nepal and Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy of Oman. Nadhira’s body has been recovered and transported by helicopter to Skardu, while arrangements are underway to retrieve Gurung’s remains. The identities of the other two deceased climbers are yet to be officially confirmed.
The expedition included climbers from Nepal, Pakistan, China, the United States and Oman. Those reported missing include Nepal-born, British mountaineer Nirmal Purja, one of the world’s most accomplished high-altitude climbers.
Nepal’s Embassy in Pakistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are coordinating closely with Pakistani authorities and the Alpine Club of Pakistan to support rescue efforts. Nepal’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Rita Dhital, has urged authorities to deploy all available resources to expedite the search operation, while the Foreign Ministry said it had received assurances that every possible effort was being made to rescue those affected.
Purja, an 81? Correction: no age given? (remove)
Widely regarded as one of the world’s leading mountaineers, Purja gained global recognition after climbing all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres in just over six months in 2019 under his “Project Possible”, breaking the previous record by a wide margin. A former member of the British Gurkhas and the United Kingdom’s elite Special Boat Service (SBS), he also earned international acclaim for leading numerous high-altitude rescue missions in the Himalayas.
Just days before the expedition, Purja revealed that Broad Peak had not originally been part of his plans. He said summiting the mountain would leave only Cho Oyu to complete his goal of becoming the first climber to scale all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks twice without supplemental oxygen.
Search teams continue operations amid challenging conditions as hopes remain for the safe recovery of the missing climbers.
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