Search Operations Intensify for Nirmal Purja Following Broad Peak Avalanche
Rescue teams are searching for famed mountaineer Nirmal Purja and his international team after an avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak. Four bodies have been recovered from the 8,047-meter mountain while communication remains severed.
Key takeaways
- Nirmal Purja and nine others went missing on July 30, 2026, after an avalanche at 6,600 metres on Broad Peak.
- Four bodies have been recovered, including Omani climber Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy and Nepali climber Pur Bahadur Gurung.
- The missing team includes citizens from Nepal, Pakistan, China, Oman, and the United States.
- Purja is a former UK Special Forces member known for climbing all 14 'eight-thousanders' in record time.
- The Pakistani Army and Alpine Club of Pakistan are leading the high-altitude search and rescue mission.
Rescue Operations Underway in the Karakoram
Military and civilian rescue teams in Pakistan are scrambling to locate world-renowned mountaineer Nirmal “Nimsdai” Purja and his international expedition members. The group vanished after a massive avalanche struck Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain, on Thursday, July 30, 2026. The 10-member team was last tracked at an altitude of approximately 6,600 metres before communication lines were cut.
Major General Irfan Arshad, President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), confirmed that searchers recovered four bodies on Friday, July 31. Among the deceased are Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy of Oman and Pur Bahadur Gurung of Nepal. The identities of the other two recovered victims are currently pending official verification. The Pakistani Army and the ACP continue to search for the remaining six climbers, including Purja.
The Missing International Team
The expedition led by Purja comprised a diverse group of high-altitude specialists and clients. The Nepali Embassy in Islamabad identified the team members as:
- Nepal: Pur Bahadur Gurung “Yukta”, Kili Pemba Sherpa “Kilu”, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa, and Gyalu Sherpa.
- International: Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy (Oman), Sohail Sakhi (Pakistan), Wang Zhong (China), and Mallory Geis (United States).
The Nepali Ministry stated that Pakistani authorities have committed all available regional resources to ensure the search and rescue operations proceed with urgency despite the hazardous conditions in the Karakoram range.
Purja’s Elite Mountaineering Background
Nirmal Purja, 43, built a global reputation for speed and technical skill in the “death zone” of the world's highest peaks. A veteran of the British Brigade of Gurkhas and the Royal Marines’ elite Special Boat Squadron, Purja utilized his military training as an extreme cold-weather warfare specialist to redefine high-altitude climbing. In 2019, he completed “Project Possible,” successfully summiting all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks in just over six months. His mission began on April 23, 2019, at Annapurna.
Further cementing his status in mountaineering history, Purja was a member of the all-Nepali team that achieved the first-ever winter ascent of K2 in 2021. His career was later documented in a Netflix feature, which highlighted his efforts to bring recognition to the Nepali climbing community.
Source: The Hindu — World
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