Nirmal Purja’s body recovered after deadly Broad Peak avalanche

Renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja’s body has been recovered from Broad Peak in Pakistan, days after

Renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja’s body has been recovered from Broad Peak in Pakistan, days after a devastating avalanche claimed the lives of members of his international climbing team.

Rescue officials confirmed that Purja’s remains were found at an altitude of around 5,700 metres on Sunday. Search teams also located three additional bodies on the mountain, although their identities have not yet been officially confirmed.

The fatal avalanche struck the 8,047-metre Broad Peak in the Karakoram mountain range during a climbing expedition. Authorities earlier confirmed that at least 10 climbers from different countries lost their lives in the tragedy.

Purja, 43, was leading the multinational expedition when the avalanche occurred. Before his body was recovered, rescue teams had already retrieved the remains of American climber Mallory Geis, Omani mountaineer Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, and Nepalese climber Pur Bahadur Gurung.

Rescue operations continue in the difficult high-altitude terrain, with officials working to recover the remaining victims. The recovered bodies are being transported to a nearby base camp before further arrangements are made.

Purja was regarded as one of the world’s greatest mountaineers. Born in Nepal, he later served in the British Army and spent several years with the elite Special Forces before pursuing a career in high-altitude climbing.

He gained global recognition in 2019 after completing the ascent of all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres in just 189 days, breaking the previous world record by several years. His remarkable achievement was later featured in the widely acclaimed Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.

At the time of the accident, Purja was attempting another historic milestone by becoming the first climber to summit all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres twice without supplemental oxygen.

His death has prompted tributes from leaders and members of the international mountaineering community. Britain’s Prince William expressed deep sorrow over the loss, describing Purja as an outstanding soldier and one of the world’s finest climbers. Nepalese officials also praised his courage, determination and lasting contribution to mountaineering.