Rescuers in northern Pakistan have recovered four bodies after an avalanche swept a climbing team on Broad Peak, with six other mountaineers, including renowned Nepali alpinist Nirmal Purja, still unaccounted for, officials said on Friday.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed that Purja, who became a global figure in 2019 by climbing all 14 of the world's peaks above 8,000 metres in a record 189 days, was leading the expedition when the avalanche struck. The team had been out of contact with base camp since Thursday, according to Karrar Haidri, the club's vice president.
“The team has been out of communication since Thursday,” Haidri said, adding that army helicopters had been deployed to assist in the aerial search and rescue operations.
The expedition comprised five Nepali climbers, Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi from Hunza, Omani climber Nathira, American Mallory Geis, a Chinese climber identified only as Wang, and another foreign national. China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Beijing was “urgently working to verify and understand the situation” and was willing to provide assistance to Pakistan.
Officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter, did not immediately identify whose bodies had been found. Efforts to retrieve the remains were continuing despite harsh weather conditions.
A life defined by the world's highest peaks
Purja, a former British Army soldier born in Nepal and widely known as Nims Dai, shot to international fame with his record-breaking sprint across the so-called “death zone” in 2019. His achievement was chronicled in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible. His record was later surpassed in 2023.
In 2021, Purja led a team of nine other Nepali climbers on the first winter ascent of K2, the world's second-highest mountain, a feat long considered near-impossible due to extreme cold and wind.
Moving Mountains, a Pakistan-based travel company, announced late last month that the expedition was heading to the small town of Askole, the gateway to the Karakoram range, and wished the team a safe journey on Broad Peak. The company said this was Geis's first attempt at an 8,000-metre peak in Pakistan, while it was expected to be Sakhi's final one.
Sakhi, a guide for Moving Mountains, is also a geographer and high-altitude photographer who has climbed several of the world's major peaks, according to the company's website. Geis, 39, lives in San Antonio, Texas, and described herself on Instagram as an avid traveller who loves the outdoors. Earlier this year, she announced she was closing her Pilates studio to take “a giant leap of faith into the unknown to see where life goes. I have a sneaking suspicion there will be lots of helmets, harnesses, and crampons involved.”
Broad Peak, at 8,047 metres, is the world's 12th-highest mountain and sits in Pakistan's Karakoram range, which contains five of the 14 peaks above 8,000 metres. The region attracts climbers from around the globe, but accidents are common due to avalanches and rapidly changing weather. Rescue missions are often complicated by the rugged terrain surrounding the peaks.
The incident echoes other recent tragedies in the region, such as the wildfire deaths in Spain that claimed foreign nationals, underscoring the risks faced by outdoor enthusiasts across the globe. Climbing experts note that even experienced mountaineers are vulnerable to the unpredictable conditions of the Karakoram.
As the search continues, the international climbing community has rallied around the missing team, with many hoping for a miracle. The Alpine Club of Pakistan said it was in contact with the families of the climbers and would provide updates as the situation develops.
