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ISLAMABAD: Ten climbers, including renowned Nepalese mountaineer and world record holder Nirmal Purja (Nims Dai), have gone missing after an avalanche struck their expedition on Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram mountain range, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said on Thursday.
In a statement, the ACP said the avalanche occurred during the team’s ascent of the 8,047-metre Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain. There has been no contact with the climbers since the incident.
According to the ACP, the 10-member expedition includes five climbers from Nepal, one each from Pakistan, Oman, China and the United States, along with another foreign climber whose nationality has not been disclosed.
The club said the entire team remains unaccounted for following the avalanche.
Authorities are working to deploy helicopters and other rescue resources, although operations will depend on weather conditions and access to the remote mountain.
Purja, 43, popularly known as Nims Dai, left the British Army in 2018 to become a full-time mountaineer and expedition guide. He rose to global prominence after climbing all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in a record six months and six days in 2019.
He was also part of the historic first winter ascent of K2 in 2021, achieved by a team of 10 Nepalese climbers.