On July 30, a massive avalanche struck near Camp 2 and Camp 3,located at an elevation of approximately 6,600 meters,on Broad Peak, the world’s 12th highest mountain at 8,051 meters, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan and Korean media outlet theasian.asia. The group of 10 climbers, including Purja, lost contact with their base camp immediately after the incident. All were later confirmed dead by both the expedition company and Pakistani authorities.

International Climbers Among the Deceased

The group included climbers from five countries: Nepal, the United States, Oman, Pakistan, and China, according to theasian.asia. Among those killed were Purja, the world record holder for summiting the world’s 14 highest peaks in just over six months in 2019; Pur Bahadur Gurung of Nepal; Nima Sherpa of Nepal; Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy of Oman; Mallory Geis of the United States; Sohail Saki of Pakistan; and one unnamed Chinese climber.

Al Harthy, an Omani climber, was the first woman from the Arab world to summit Mount Everest. Her death was mourned widely across the Middle East. Mallory Geis, a 29-year-old from San Antonio, Texas, was attempting her first 8,000-meter peak in Pakistan, according to theasian.asia. Saki, a Pakistani mountaineer, was reportedly making his final high-altitude climb before retirement.

Search and Recovery Efforts

Following the avalanche, the Pakistani government deployed ground teams, drones, and military helicopters to the site, but harsh weather,strong winds, thick clouds, and poor visibility—significantly hampered recovery efforts, according to theasian.asia. Drones captured footage of several bodies, and by August 1, four bodies had been identified, with three successfully recovered.

The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed that the expedition lost contact with the climbers after the avalanche hit at noon local time on Thursday. The club initially reported the climbers as missing, with no official confirmation of fatalities until later reports confirmed all 10 were dead. By Saturday, the recovered bodies were being transported to a Japanese camp for further processing, according to the BBC.

Reactions and Tributes

Purja’s death was announced by his company, Elite Expeditions, on Saturday. His brother Kamal Purja expressed deep sorrow in a statement, saying, “It is with the heaviest heart that I share the devastating news that my beloved younger brother, Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja, and the other climbers are no longer with us.”

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah expressed shock at the deaths, stating, “The tragic death of six Nepalese and four other foreign climbers, including world record holder Nirmal Purja, in the Karakoram mountain range of Pakistan, has shocked us.” The prime minister added that the climbers’ “courage, dedication, and contributions will always remain inspiring.”

Prince William of the UK expressed his condolences, calling Purja “one of the greatest mountaineers” and highlighting his service in the British Army. UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting also posted on X, saying he was “incredibly sad to learn of the passing of Nirmal (Nims) Purja and those he was climbing with.”