Bodies of Nirmal Purja, three teammates recovered from Broad Peak

Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of celebrated British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja and three members of his expedition from Broad

SKARDU: Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of celebrated British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja and three members of his expedition from Broad Peak after a difficult recovery mission, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) confirmed.

The recovery operation was carried out in extremely challenging weather and terrain. The bodies of Purja, Chinese climber Zhong Wang, and Nepali climbers Nima Sherpa and Kilu Sherpa were successfully brought to Broad Peak Base Camp.

The tragic incident occurred on July 30, when an avalanche struck the 10-member international expedition while climbing Broad Peak, one of the world’s highest mountains. Contact with the team was lost immediately after the avalanche. Purja’s company later confirmed that there were no survivors from the expedition.

Despite the successful recovery of four bodies, three climbers remain missing. The Alpine Club of Pakistan said search efforts would continue whenever weather and mountain conditions permit. The organization reaffirmed its commitment to locating the remaining climbers so their families can receive closure.

Earlier, the bodies of three other expedition members—an American woman, an Omani woman and a Nepali climber—were airlifted from the mountain to Skardu. However, the bodies of two Nepali nationals and one Pakistani climber have yet to be recovered.

The deaths have deeply affected the global mountaineering community. Fellow climbers and mountaineering organizations have paid tribute to the victims, describing the loss as a major blow to high-altitude climbing.

The Alpine Club of Pakistan said arrangements are being made to return the recovered bodies to their families. The organization expressed hope that the recovery would provide some comfort to the bereaved families and allow the climbers to be laid to rest with dignity.