Famed mountaineer Nirmal Purja, 43, was among 10 climbers confirmed dead following an avalanche on Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-tallest mountain, located in Pakistan’s Karakoram mountain range. The avalanche struck on Thursday, August 1st, 2026, during an expedition led by Purja.

Elite Exped, the company involved in the expedition, released a statement saying, "The world has lost one of mountaineering's greatest climbers. We mourn not only Nims, but every life lost in this tragedy." They added, "No words can ease the pain of this unimaginable loss."

A Pakistani rescue team recovered three bodies on Friday, including those of American climber Sarah Mallory Geis. However, the operation was temporarily halted due to challenging weather and the remote, difficult terrain. The search resumed on Saturday, August 2nd, with efforts ongoing to recover the remaining seven bodies.

Irfan Arshad Khan, president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, remarked, "The loss of these courageous climbers, who came from different nations united by their passion for the mountains, is an immeasurable loss to the global mountaineering fraternity."

Purja was widely known for his attempt to summit the world’s 14 tallest mountains in seven months, a feat documented in the 2021 Netflix film "14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible."

Sources