Nirmal Purja's body brought to Broad Peak base camp after avalanche recovery

Kathmandu,UPDATED: Aug 5, 2026 20:38 IST

The bodies of veteran Nepalese-British mountaineer Nirmal Purja and three other climbers killed in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's Gilgit-Baltistan were brought to the mountain's base camp on Wednesday after a difficult recovery operation. Purja, widely known as 'Nims Dai', was among 10 climbers swept away by the avalanche on Thursday last week on Broad Peak in the Karakoram range near K2.

On Saturday, Purja's expedition company, Elite Exped, announced that all members of the group had died. The recovered bodies are those of Purja, Zhong Wang of China, and Nepali climbers Nima Sherpa and Kilu Sherpa, Nepal Mountaineering Association vice president Rajendra Bahadur Lama said.

Lama said, "The mission was led by Mingma G, with the support of Sirbaz Khan and the dedicated ground recovery team, whose courage and professionalism made the operation possible under extremely difficult condition." Broad Peak, at 8,051 metres, is the world's 12th-highest mountain and is regarded as one of the most difficult peaks to climb. Recovery work at such extreme altitudes is especially risky because of unstable snow, steep terrain and unpredictable weather, and often needs specialised high-altitude rescue teams.

The Nepal Mountaineering Association thanked the Pakistan government, the Pakistan Army, the Alpine Club of Pakistan and others involved in the recovery effort. Lama said, "The bodies of two other Nepali climbers had already reached Skardu in Pakistan. The body of Pur Bahadur Gurung, popularly known as 'Yukta', will reach Kathmandu on Thursday." He added that the bodies of three other climbers - a Nepali, a Pakistani and an American - are still stranded at higher elevations and may take more time to bring down because of the terrain and adverse conditions. The body of Omani climber Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy has already been repatriated to Oman, he said.

Purja's body was found at about 5,700 metres. He had set the record for the fastest ascent of the world's 14 highest mountains, completing the feat in six months in 2019. He gained international recognition after the Netflix documentary '14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible' was released two years later. Purja had also served in the British military with the Gurkhas and later in special forces.

Meanwhile, the Nimsdai Foundation, a charity set up by Purja, has launched a fund after the Broad Peak avalanche to provide financial help to the immediate families of the five mountain guides who died in the disaster. The recovery operation has so far brought four bodies to base camp, while efforts to bring down the remaining climbers continue in difficult conditions.

With PTI Inputs

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