Rescue teams are continuing a desperate search for renowned Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja and nine other climbers after an avalanche struck Pakistan’s Broad Peak on Thursday, leaving at least two expedition members dead. The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed on Friday that Nadhira Al Harthy of Oman and Pur Bahadur Gurung “Yukta” of Nepal were killed in the disaster. “Nadhira’s body has been recovered and is being transported by helicopter to Skardu. Arrangements for Yukta’s transport are underway,” the club said in a statement. It added, “Search and rescue operations continue for those still missing. Our thoughts remain with all the families and the global mountaineering community during this difficult time.”
The avalanche hit around noon in Pakistan’s Karakoram Range as the expedition team led by Nirmal Purja was moving between Camp 2 and Camp 3 during a summit push. Local mountaineering bodies said there has been no communication with the group since the avalanche, while poor weather delayed helicopter rescue operations.
Hope for Nirmal Purja grows after tracker shows movement
Despite the difficult conditions, rescuers received a small boost after movement was reportedly detected on Nirmal Purja’s tracking device following the avalanche. The update has given family, friends and fellow climbers hope that survivors may still be found.
Parth Upadhayay, a friend of Nirmal Purja, told NDTV, “If anyone can survive this it is Nimsdai. He is a fighter. After seeing the movement on the tracker device, it gives us hope and we are praying for good news.” Upadhayay said he had spoken to Purja on Sunday to wish him on his birthday and that the mountaineer was excited about the expedition as he aimed to become the first person to climb all the world’s 8,000-metre peaks three times.
Nirmal Purja’s expedition and mountaineering legacy
Nirmal Purja, popularly known as Nimsdai, is one of the three record-breaking mountaineers who run Elite Exped alongside Mingma David Sherpa and Tejan Gurung. The company specialises in guided expeditions on the world’s highest mountains.
Born in Nepal, Nirmal Purja served for 16 years in the military, including six years in the elite Gorkha Regiment and 10 years with the UK’s Special Boat Service (SBS). He later became one of the world’s most celebrated climbers with multiple mountaineering records.
Broad Peak rescue continues as uncertainty remains
Broad Peak rises 8,051 metres in the Karakoram Range, spanning Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region and China’s Xinjiang. It is located around 8 kilometres from K2, the world’s second-highest mountain.
The mountaineering fraternity continues to be shocked by this unfortunate incident as avalanches are always fatal during mountain climbing. However, at the moment the whereabouts of Nirmal Purja as well as the other nine mountaineers are unknown.
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Khalid Lateef is a Sub-Editor at NewsX Digital, specializing in Indian politics and global affairs. He also covers viral trending stories and major crime developments.
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