A group of 10 climbers including celebrated mountaineer Nirmal Purja is missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in Pakistan's Karakoram range. Four bodies have been recovered, though rescue efforts continue.
An avalanche on Broad Peak, a 8,047-meter mountain in Pakistan's Karakoram range, has left 10 climbers missing, including internationally recognized mountaineer Nirmal Purja. The Alpine Club of Pakistan reported that the avalanche occurred around midday Thursday. Ground teams have recovered four bodies so far, though they remain unidentified. The group also included American climber Mallory Geis and climbers from Oman, Pakistan, and Nepal.
According to the Alpine Club, no members of the group have made contact since the avalanche. However, GPS signals are showing the location of four climbers, offering some hope for the ongoing rescue operation. Favorable weather conditions on Friday morning were expected to persist through the weekend, potentially aiding search and rescue efforts across the mountain range.
Purja, also known as "Nims," gained worldwide recognition after climbing all 14 of the world's peaks above 8,000 meters in just over six months in 2019, a record detailed in the Netflix documentary "14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible." A former British army soldier who served with the Brigade of Gurkhas and the Special Boat Service, Purja had planned to attempt climbing all 14 peaks a second time, beginning with Broad Peak. Before this expedition, he wrote on social media that he takes "zero mountains for granted."
Broad Peak, the world's 12th-highest mountain, is considered less technically demanding than nearby K2 but is known for unpredictable weather. Pakistan has experienced significant mountaineering disasters on its peaks, including an avalanche on K2 in 2008 that killed 11 climbers.
