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All 10 climbers buried in a powerful avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak have been confirmed dead, marking one of the most devastating tragedies in recent mountaineering history.
Elite Exped, the expedition company led by renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, confirmed on Saturday that none of the team members survived the avalanche that struck on Thursday. The company described the loss as a profound blow to the global climbing community.
“The world has lost one of mountaineering’s greatest climbers,” the company said, paying tribute to Purja—widely known as Nims Dai—and extending condolences to the families of all those who died.
Rescue teams recovered four bodies by Friday, with three brought down despite severe weather that hampered helicopter operations. Military-backed search efforts resumed on Saturday to locate and recover the remaining victims.
Irfan Arshad Khan, president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said the deaths of climbers from multiple countries represent a significant loss to the international mountaineering community. He praised the efforts of military personnel, civilian rescuers, and Sherpas involved in the operation.
Among the victims were climbers from several nations, including an Omani, an American, a Nepali, and a Chinese national, according to officials and international reports. Some bodies have been transported to Islamabad, while others remain in Skardu.
Purja, a Nepal-born former British Army soldier, gained global recognition after scaling all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in a record 189 days in 2019—an achievement later featured in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. He was widely admired for his leadership, resilience, and ability to inspire climbers worldwide.
Fatal incidents are not uncommon in Pakistan’s northern mountain ranges, where climbers face extreme risks including avalanches, falling ice, high altitude, and rapidly shifting weather conditions.