Celebrated mountaineer Nirmal Purja, known for scaling the world's 14 highest peaks in record time, was killed in an avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak along with nine other climbers from multiple nations.
Nirmal Purja, a 43-year-old Nepali mountaineer renowned for completing the fastest ascent of the world's 14 highest mountains, died in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region on Thursday, according to his expedition company Elite Exped. Nine other climbers also perished in the incident, bringing the total death toll to ten. The group was struck by the avalanche around midday while climbing the 8,051-metre peak, the world's 12th-highest mountain.
Purja gained international recognition after setting his climbing record in 2019, accomplishing the feat in just six months. His achievements were further popularized through the Netflix documentary "14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible," released in 2021. Prior to his mountaineering career, Purja served in the British military, including with the Gurkhas and in special forces units. The mountaineering community has mourned his loss, with British climber Kenton Cool describing Purja as a transformative figure who modernized high-altitude guiding practices.
The expedition comprised climbers from Nepal, Pakistan, Oman, the United States, and China. Search crews recovered three bodies on Friday, while officials confirmed that additional bodies were located through drone surveillance but remained in difficult terrain yet to be retrieved. Pakistani officials cited the challenging geography and the absence of helicopter rescue infrastructure in Pakistan—unlike Nepal—as obstacles to recovery efforts. Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah expressed shock at the deaths, stating that while the climbers' physical journey had ended, their legacy of courage and dedication would endure.
