US climber Mallory Geis recovered after Pakistan Broad Peak avalanche

Rescuers in Gilgit‑Baltistan announced that the body of 39‑year‑old American climber Mallory Geis was found following an avalanche on the 8,047‑metre (26,400‑ft) Broad Peak, on the Pakistan‑China border.

Geis, part of a ten‑man expedition led by Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja, was among a group of climbers that lost much of their party in the silent storm on Thursday.

Officials said two other bodies were identified as well: Oman’s Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy and Nepalese Pur Bahadur Gurung. Their remains were transported by helicopter to a hospital for post‑mortem identification.

The Alpine Club of Pakistan clarified that it initially reported four bodies but later corrected to two bodies and a body part. A third climber, Pakistani national Sohail Sakhi, remains missing, with his GPS tracker found smashed.

Team members described the conditions as extremely harsh, with a 24‑hour survival window deemed “very slim.” Yet rescue crews remain hopeful, and two Pakistani army helicopters have been dispatched with specialised mountaineering teams.

Broad Peak, the world’s 12th‑highest summit, has claimed numerous lives since its first ascent in 1957. The current tragedy underscores the dangers of climbing in the Karakoram, where weather and terrain conspire to test even the most experienced mountaineers.

© BBC, 31 July 2026