Two Dead, Nirmal Purja Among Missing After Broad Peak Avalanche

Rescuers have recovered two bodies and are searching by helicopter for climbers still missing on Pakistan’s Broad Peak, including mountaineer Nirmal Purja, a day after an avalanche struck their summit push.

The avalanche hit just before 9:30 a.m. local time Thursday, catching 10 summit-bound climbers at about 6,600 meters, below Lower Camp 3, according to the Hunza-based outfitter Karakorum Expeditions. Their InReach trackers showed a rapid fall of hundreds of meters. Some climbers came to rest almost at Base Camp.

The call for an aerial rescue came only hours later, for reasons that remain unclear.

A ground party recovered the bodies at the base of the slide, opposite Broad Peak Base Camp, the company said. Team member Waqar Ali worked with Sona Sherpa and two local climbers to bring the victims down.

Correction on the count

Karakorum Expeditions first reported four bodies, then corrected the figure. Avalanche debris had swept down tents, backpacks, mattresses and other gear, causing a miscount, it said. The actual recovery is two complete bodies and part of the body of a third climber.

Two victims identified

The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed the identities of two of the dead: Nadhira Al Harthy of Oman and Pur Bahadur Gurung, known as Yukta, of Nepal, ExplorersWeb reported.

Al Harthy became the first Omani woman to summit Everest in 2019 and had also climbed K2 and Manaslu. She was on Broad Peak with Seven Summit Treks. Gurung, an IFMGA guide, worked for Purja’s EliteExped and likely accompanied him on his latest record attempt.

Search for survivors

Two helicopters left for Broad Peak around 8 a.m. Pakistan time, carrying local climbers Sirbaz Khan and Sherzad Karim to search from the air, Karakorum Expeditions said.

The home team monitoring one of our climbers’ InReach devices has reported a slight movement signal, giving us hope. — Karakorum Expeditions

The company said two of its own members were caught in the slide and remain out of contact.

The missing

Purja, known as Nims Dai, has been trying to become the first person to climb the 14 highest peaks three times, and to climb all 14 twice without bottled oxygen.

Also missing is Sohail Sakhi of Pakistan, who had summited all of his country’s 8,000-meter peaks. He was using bottled oxygen while guiding American climber Mallory Geis, on her first 8,000-meter climb.

The others still missing are Wang Zhong of China and four Nepalese climbers: Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa and Kili “Kilu” Pemba Sherpa. Pemba Sherpa was part of the team that made the first winter ascent of K2 in 2021.

Climbers who left early

Two other climbers who had planned to attempt Broad Peak, David Klein of Hungary and Ian Overton of the U.S., are safely in Skardu. They left July 25 after judging the weather too risky.

Overton told ExplorersWeb that a windstorm on July 18 dumped blowing snow, leaving unstable, “punchy” conditions with loose rock and failing ice on the route.