New Delhi: Renowned Nepali-born British mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja has died following the avalanche that struck his climbing expedition on Pakistan’s Broad Peak on July 30, his company Elite Exped confirmed on Saturday. Purja had been missing since the avalanche hit the team between Camp 2 and Camp 3 during their ascent of the world’s 12th-highest mountain.
The company in a post on Instagram said, “Today, it is with profound sadness and immense heartbreak that we confirm that Nirmal “Nimsdai” Purja, tragically lost his life following the avalanche on Broad Peak. We have also received confirmation that other members of the expedition sadly did not survive.”
Elite Exped in its statement said that Purja’s climbing partners and guides, Pur Bahadur Gurung and Nima Sherpa, had also died in the tragedy. Gurung’s death had earlier been confirmed by Pakistani authorities; Nima Sherpa had previously been listed among the missing. The company said other members of the expedition had also not survived, without specifying further names, and asked that the families of those lost be given privacy to grieve.
The statement paid tribute to Purja’s legacy, describing him as “one of mountaineering’s greatest climbers.” It credited him with inspiring people worldwide to believe in their own potential, and noted that his leadership had built Elite Exped along with the Nimsdai Foundation, Skydive Nimsdai and the Nimsdai Store. The company also thanked the search-and-rescue teams and everyone involved in the response effort, and said it would not comment further beyond information confirmed by the relevant authorities.
Avalanche strikes at over 6,500 metres
According to the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan, the climbers were ascending from Camp 2 to Camp 3 at an altitude of about 6,600 metres when the avalanche struck. The team had last made contact with its tour operator at around 9am on July 30 before communication was lost.
Broad Peak, standing at 8,047 metres in the Karakoram range, is the world’s 12th-highest mountain. It sits on the border between Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, and Xinjiang, China, just a few kilometres from K2, in territory administered by Pakistan as part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). It is regarded as one of the region’s most challenging peaks due to its steep terrain, unstable snow conditions and frequent avalanches.
International expedition
The expedition entered Pakistan’s Skardu district on June 29 and was organised by Karakoram Expeditions, Imagine Climb Pakistan and Blue Sky Trek & Tours Company. It included climbers from Nepal, Pakistan, the US, Oman and China.
Authorities had earlier confirmed the deaths of American climber Sarah Mallory Geis, Omani mountaineer Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy and Nepali climber Pur Bahadur Gurung. Their remains were recovered and airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) for identification and legal formalities.
The status of other expedition members – Chinese climber Wang Zhong, Pakistani climber Suhail Shahzad, and Nepali climbers Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nawang Thindhu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa – has not been officially confirmed by authorities as of Saturday.
Rescue operation
The official rescue mission began on July 31 after tour operators requested assistance from the Gilgit-Baltistan government. Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters transported a civilian rescue team led by renowned Pakistani mountaineer Sirbaz Khan to Broad Peak Base Camp, from where rescuers continued their search on foot.
Military helicopters, drones and experienced high-altitude climbers were deployed to search the avalanche zone, though strong winds, poor visibility and the constant risk of fresh avalanches slowed operations. GPS tracking devices carried by expedition members had shown a sudden and rapid loss of altitude, indicating the climbers were likely swept away.
Who was Nirmal Purja?
Purja’s death has drawn worldwide attention because of his reputation as one of the world’s most accomplished mountaineers. Born in Nepal, he served for 16 years in the British military, including a decade with the United Kingdom’s elite Special Boat Service (SBS), after becoming the first Gurkha to join the force.
In 2019, Purja completed his landmark “Project Possible”, climbing all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres in just six months and six days, breaking a record that had stood for nearly eight years. The achievement was later featured in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.
He further cemented his place in mountaineering history in 2021 by helping lead the first all-Nepali team to successfully summit K2 in winter. Purja was also widely respected for carrying out numerous high-altitude rescue missions, often putting his own safety at risk to save fellow climbers.
Before the Broad Peak expedition, Purja had said he was attempting to become the first climber to scale all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres twice without using supplemental oxygen.