Mortality on Broad Peak: The Loss of Mountaineer Nirmal Purja

Renowned mountaineer and former British Army soldier Nirmal Purja is among those killed in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan, his company has said.

Elite Expeditions shared the news on social media, expressing profound sadness and immense heartbreak over Purja’s death and stating that the other nine members of the expedition had also died.

Purja, a Nepali‑born climber, first captured worldwide attention after completing the 14 highest peaks in just over six months in 2019.

Three bodies of climbers—American Mallory Geis, Oman’s Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, and Nepali Pur Bahadur Gurung—were recovered from the 10‑person expedition.

The death was also confirmed by Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who lamented the “tragic death of six Nepali and four foreign climbers, including world record holder Nirmal Purja, in the Karakoram mountain range of Pakistan”.

The prime minister added that the courage and dedication of the climbers will always remain inspiring.

Pakistan rescue teams had been searching for the climbers on the world’s twelfth‑highest summit, 8,047m (26,400ft).

Purja, who joined the British Army in 2003 and the Special Boat Service in 2009, was leading the multinational climbing group.

Broad Peak is regarded as one of the more challenging mountains, first successfully ascended in 1957 by an Austrian expedition.

Since then, dozens have lost their lives on the mountain, including six fatalities in 2013.