Nirmal Purja dies in avalanche accident on Broad Peak

Skardu – 02/08/2026: Nepalese-British mountaineer Nirmal Purja, known as Nims Dai, has been recovered dead following an avalanche accident on Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram range. Purja was part of a ten-member international expedition group that was struck by the avalanche on Thursday, July 30, 2026. According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, all members of the group died.

A ground team reached Purja’s position on Sunday at an altitude of around 5,700 meters. Rescuers found three further bodies near him. They were identified as Chinese national Wang Zhong and Nepalese Sherpas Nima Sherpa and Kili Pemba Sherpa. Emergency personnel had already located four dead climbers on Friday. Bad weather and difficult terrain repeatedly delayed the recovery operation; helicopters were unable to reliably reach the area.

According to rescue workers, the victims recovered earlier included Omani national Nathira Ahmed, American Mallory Geis and Nepalese national Bahadur Gurung. The search continued in order to bring the remaining victims still on the mountain down to the valley. The operation involved military-supported rescue teams, civilian volunteers and experienced mountain rescuers.

The 8,047-meter Broad Peak is located near the Chinese border and not far from K2. Its long, exposed summit slope requires even experienced climbing teams to have a narrow weather window, stable conditions and sufficient reserves for the descent. The avalanche struck the group on the morning of July 30, turning the high-altitude undertaking into a rescue mission under extreme conditions.

Purja was one of the best-known high-altitude mountaineers of his generation. In 2019, he attracted worldwide attention with his Possible project: within six months and six days, he reached the summits of all 14 eight-thousanders according to the classification at the time. The former member of the British armed forces thus beat a benchmark that had previously stood at nearly eight years. His images of overcrowding on Mount Everest and his exceptionally fast expeditions made him a defining figure in media-driven high-altitude mountaineering.

A later reassessment of individual summit points by experts changed how some records were classified. Nevertheless, Purja’s sporting influence remained considerable: he combined precise logistics with great physical endurance and led teams at extreme altitude. The Alpine Club of Pakistan paid tribute to Purja and the other dead climbers as mountaineers from different nations united by their passion for the world’s highest mountains. Skardu, the main starting point for expeditions in the Karakoram, is now also the center of the recovery efforts.