A team of international climbers, led by renowned Nepal-born mountaineer Nirmal Purja, is missing following an avalanche on Broad Peak in northern Pakistan. Broad Peak ranks as the world’s 12th-highest mountain at 26,401 feet.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan reported that the avalanche impacted Purja and his team, which includes ten climbers from various countries. Since the incident, communication with them has been lost, according to club Vice President Karrar Haidri.
Among the expedition members are five Nepalese climbers, Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi of Hunza, Omani climber Nathira, American climber Mallory Geis, a Chinese climber named Wang, and another foreign climber.
“The club’s president, Maj. Gen. Irfan Arshad, and senior leaders are actively coordinating with government officials to expedite a search-and-rescue operation,” Haidri stated.
Efforts are underway to deploy helicopters and other rescue resources as weather and conditions allow.
Nirmal Purja, also known as Nims Dai, is notable in the climbing community for having scaled the world’s 14 highest peaks in just 189 days in 2019, a record until surpassed in 2023. His achievements were featured in the Netflix documentary “14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.”
Pakistan’s Karakoram range attracts climbers worldwide, boasting several of the planet’s highest summits.
“The Alpine Club of Pakistan is monitoring the situation closely, coordinating with all stakeholders, and expressing solidarity with the families and global mountaineering community,” the club’s statement read.