All Climbers Including Nirmal Purja Confirmed Dead in Broad Peak Avalanche, Says Expedition Leaders
Photo source, AFP
The expedition office has confirmed the deaths of all 10 climbers, including the renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, who went missing two days ago in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan. Various individuals, including Nepal’s Prime Minister, have paid tribute to the deceased mountaineers.
After an avalanche struck on Thursday, the famous climber Purja and teams from three different mountaineering companies lost contact.
On Saturday, Purja’s company confirmed the incident via a post on Facebook.
“With great sadness and heartbreak, we confirm that Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja has tragically died in the avalanche at Broad Peak today. Additionally, other members of this expedition team are also confirmed deceased,” read the company’s Facebook statement.
Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Seven Summits Treks, told BBC that none of the climbers survived.
“Assessments are ongoing to determine when all bodies can be recovered. The weather conditions are not favorable,” said Chairman Sherpa. “But no one is alive.”
Nepal’s Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba paid tribute on Facebook to the victims.
“We are deeply shocked by the tragic deaths of six Nepali climbers, including world-record mountaineer Nirmal Purja (Nims Dai), and four foreign climbers on Broad Peak,” he wrote.
“While their physical journey has ended, the courage, dedication, and contributions of Nirmal Purja and all the fallen climbers will remain an inspiring legacy in history.”
Who were caught in the avalanche?
Photo source, Getty Images
In addition to Nirmal Purja, a Nepal-born former British Royal Marine, five other Nepali climbers, along with one Pakistani, one Omani, one American, and one Chinese climber went missing during Thursday’s avalanche.
Pakistani officials confirmed the deaths of one Omani and one Nepali climber on Friday. Later that evening, the death of the American climber was also confirmed.
Rajendra Lama, General Secretary of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), said that although death has been confirmed, only one body had been recovered at base camp by Saturday according to the Pakistani Alpine Club.
The Pakistani Alpine Club said on Instagram on Saturday that many bodies had been spotted via drone footage, but rescue teams had yet to reach the site, so identification of the victims was not yet possible.
Nirmal Purja’s Elite Expeditions, along with guides and foreign climbers from Seven Summits and Imagine Nepal, were among those caught in the avalanche.
Broad Peak, located in the Karakoram mountain range, is the 12th highest mountain in the world at 8,051 meters above sea level.
The mountains in Pakistan are considered the secondary main region for Nepalese Sherpas, famous for mountaineering assistance.
Of the world’s 14 highest peaks, five are located in Pakistan.
These peaks, known as the “Forty Peaks,” have increasingly attracted climbers, leading to many Nepalese Sherpas traveling to Pakistan for expeditions.
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