NEW DELHI, Aug 1: The British-Nepali origin Legendary mountaineer Nirmal Purja, popularly known as ‘Nimsdai’, and his team mates have been was killed in an avalanche on Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain, in the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir range, while leading an expedition, his adventure company and others confirmed in a post on Instagram on Saturday.
Purja was a former member of Britain’s Brigade of Gurkhas and later served with the Royal Marines’ elite Special Boat Service (SBS) before becoming a full-time mountaineer and expedition guide. Over the years, he set several mountaineering records and earned global recognition for his achievements.
Purja and five other climbers had been missing since Friday after an avalanche struck them during their expedition on the peak. “Today, it is with profound sadness and immense heartbreak that we confirm that Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja tragically lost his life following the avalanche on Broad Peak. We have also received confirmation that other members of the expedition sadly did not survive,” his company, Elite Exped, announced in a statement on Saturday.
The company also paid tribute to those who lost their lives alongside Purja.
“Today, we mourn not only Nims, but every life lost in this tragedy, including his trusted climbing partners and guides, Pur Bahadur Gurung (Yukta) and Nima Sherpa. Our deepest thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences are with their families, friends and loved ones. No words can ease the pain of this unimaginable loss, and we ask that everyone respect their privacy as they grieve,” the statement said.
Broad Peak is located in the Karakoram mountain range, straddling the border between Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan and China’s Xinjiang region, just a few kilometres from K2 in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The avalanche struck along Broad Peak’s standard West Ridge route at an altitude of approximately 21,600 to 21,850 feet.
Paying tribute to Purja, Elite Exped described him as one of mountaineering’s greatest climbers, saying his courage, humility and unwavering belief in human potential inspired millions across the world.
“The world has lost one of mountaineering’s greatest climbers; a leader who inspired millions through his courage, humility and unwavering belief that human potential is far greater than we often imagine. More than his extraordinary achievements, he wanted to show the world what was possible when you dared to dream bigger, believed in yourself and refused to accept limitations. Through his actions, he inspired millions of people to believe that they too could achieve more than they ever thought possible,” the company said.
In 2019, he created history by climbing all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres in just six months and six days as part of his “Project Possible” expedition, shattering the previous record. In 2021, he was also part of the 10-member Nepali team that completed the first successful winter ascent of K2, one of mountaineering’s most significant achievements.
The Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, turned Nims into the most recognisable figure in modern mountaineering, inspiring a wave of interest in high-altitude climbing.
Ironically, which turned out to be his last post, on X on July 27, Purja, who held many records and was also awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), had explained that the climb to Broad Peak wasn’t planned. “The Mission Shifts. The Compass Holds. This wasn’t planned. The Hattrick project was the focus because it carried a bigger mission. But opportunities don’t scream: they whisper to those already working in silence… Initially, the plan was to climb just G2. But just before setting off for Pakistan, I ran the numbers on my 8000m summits. That’s when it hit me: if I tick off Broad Peak whilst I’m here, only one remains – ‘Cho Oyu’. Then I become the FIRST person in history to climb all 14 eight-thousanders twice. Without oxygen.”
Chasing that dream, Purja set off on what would become his last expedition. “Broad Peak, I ask for nothing but safe passage up and back down. I take zero mountains for granted. Not one. The moment my foot leaves basecamp, it’s 100%. Always has been. Always will be,” he wrote.
There were hopes that Purja would make it back alive even after the avalanche on Thursday, as his tracking device showed movement. Initially, rescue teams believed he was alive, conscious, and awaiting rescue. As the hours wore on, it became clear that the chances of finding any survivors from the Broad Peak avalanche were almost nil. Personnel involved in the search-and-rescue operation said their worst fears were confirmed when a drone flown from Base Camp spotted what appeared to be the bodies of four climbers, Nirmal Purja “Nimsdai,” Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, and Wang Zhong, just below Camp I on the Concordia side of the mountain.
The same search team also reported that all 10 climbers caught in the avalanche may have died on the Concordia side. Nirmal Purja, MBE, was one of three record-breaking mountaineers, along with Mingma David Sherpa and Tejan Gurung, who ran Elite Exped, which specialises in delivering tailored guiding experiences on the world’s highest mountains.
Born in Nepal, Nimsdai had a distinguished 16-year military career, spending six years in the elite Gurkha regiment, and 10 years with the UK Special Forces (SBS). The mountaineer also faced criticism and allegations, but did not let anything shake his passion. He addressed these in his last post as well.
“Here’s the secret I’ve carried through every expedition: I never competed with anyone else. My only battle was against the man I was yesterday. Every single day, pushing my own limits. Because the moment you look sideways: at what others are doing, saying, achieving: you drift off your compass. Your heading is YOURS. Guard it fiercely,” he wrote.
“They criticised me when I climbed the 14 without O’s during Project Possible. If you haven’t seen what that took, watch 14 Peaks on Netflix. That film is the unfiltered truth. I was there doing multiple rescues of climbers left behind by other expeditions, raising the funds myself, leading from the front, fixing our own lines, dealing with the Shishapangma permit with China, being at hospitals for my mum’s operation and so much more. And now? Now I’m heading for the double without oxygen: triple in total. The noise hasn’t stopped. I just stopped listening,” Purja emphasised.