Two bodies have been located and search operations continue after an avalanche struck Broad Peak, a mountain in Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan, on Thursday, leaving 10 climbers missing. According to ExplorersWeb, only two of the missing climbers—Nadhira Al Harthy of Oman and Pur Bahadur Gurung, known as Yukta, of Nepal,have been recovered so far.

Who is Nirmal Purja, and What Was He Doing on Broad Peak?

Nirmal Purja, also known as Nims Dai, is among those missing, but the 43-year-old is a famed UK-Nepalese climber born in Nepal’s Myagdi district; he comes from a family of Gurkhas, a group of Nepalese soldiers who have served in various armed forces, including the British Army. Purja followed in the footsteps of his father and older brothers, joining the Gurkhas in 2003 and the UK Special Forces in 2009 — During his 16 years in the military, he developed a passion for mountaineering, according to BBC.

His mountaineering career took off in 2012 when he walked to Everest base camp and decided to learn how to climb “for real.” He soon climbed Lobuche East, his first peak. His spontaneous approach to adventure continued with this Broad Peak expedition. Purja initially planned to climb only Gasherbrum II (G2), but changed his mind to include Broad Peak, aiming to become the first person in history to climb all 14 eight-thousanders twice without oxygen, according to BBC.

Search Efforts Intensify, K2 Teams Redirected

Search operations are ongoing, with teams working from Camp 1 and using helicopters and drones; the GPS trackers of several missing climbers show their approximate location at around 5,800m. Reinforcements are expected as most K2 teams have suspended their own summit bids to assist in the search on Broad Peak, according to ExplorersWeb.

Among those missing are Sohail Sakhi of Pakistan and his client Mallory Geis of the U.S., Wang Zhong of China, Kili Pemba Sherpa (nicknamed Kilu), Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa, and Gyalu Sherpa. Searchers have found Sakhi’s backpack and broken Garmin, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan.

Details and Confusion About Casualty Count

Earlier reports claimed four bodies had been found at the base of Broad Peak, but this was later clarified as a misunderstanding. A video of an avalanche on Broad Peak was shared with ExplorersWeb, but it is not confirmed if it is the same avalanche that hit the group below Camp 3 on Thursday morning.

Shirbaz Khan, a prominent climber, and three other climbers from Shimshal have traveled to Camp 1 to aid in the search, according to Alpine Adventure Guides. The situation remains tense as teams continue to search for the remaining missing climbers in the treacherous terrain of the Karakoram range.