In brief
An avalanche struck Pakistan’s 8,047‑metre Broad Peak around midday, trapping a ten‑member expedition led by famed mountaineer Nirmal Purja. No contact has been made since, and rescue teams are mobilising helicopters and ground crews. The team comprised climbers from the US, China, Oman and five Nepalis, all of whom had previously attempted the peak. Pakistani officials and the Alpine Club of Pakistan have vowed to search relentlessly and highlighted the challenge of the mountain’s technical routes and unpredictable weather.
On Thursday midday, an avalanche raged over Pakistan’s 8,047‑metre Broad Peak—the Karakoram’s 12th‑highest fortress—and swept away a multinational climbing group led by Nepalese author‑turned‑climber Nirmal Purja. The team’s radio was silent afterwards, and no rescue personnel have yet reached the crash site.
The expedition comprised an American, a Chinese, an Omani and five Nepalis, all of whom had been climbing the peak for more than a week. Purja, who storm‑hit 14 of the world’s 8,000‑metre summits in 2019, is well known in mountaineering circles for breaking limits with daring speed climbs.
Pakistani authorities released a statement urging “immediate search and rescue.” Helicopters are being summoned, weather permitting, and ground crews have mobilised in the high‑altitude shadow of the Karakoram. The Alpine Club of Pakistan affirmed that every effort is being made to secure helicopter sorties and that all resources are drawn to aid the excavation.
The Alpa—{refers to the Alpine Club of Pakistan}—prayed for the safety and successful rescue of all the missing climbers and expressed solidarity with the international mountaineering community. Details of the missing team’s mylar bags, gear and last known positions are still unknown.
Appealing for urgent updates, the Alpine Club has called on the public and media to report any sightings or new information from the Himalayan region.
