The body of British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja has been recovered from Broad Peak in Pakistan, where an avalanche claimed the lives of 10 climbers, including the world-record holder who scaled 14 of the world’s highest peaks in just six months.
Recovery Effort on Dangerous Terrain
The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed Sunday that rescue teams located Purja’s body at approximately 18,700 feet on the mountain. Three additional bodies were spotted nearby, though authorities have not yet confirmed their identities. Ground teams worked to transport the recovered remains to a Japanese camp established on the mountain. Pakistani officials previously confirmed recovering the bodies of three other expedition members: American Mallory Geis, Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy from Oman, and Pur Bahadur Gurung from Nepal.
The 43-year-old mountaineer was leading a multinational climbing group on the world’s 12th-highest summit when Thursday’s avalanche struck the 26,400-foot peak in the Karakoram range. Elite Expeditions, Purja’s company, announced his death Saturday. Search teams had feared all expedition members perished in the disaster, which Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah called shocking, noting it claimed six Nepalese and four foreign climbers.
Remarkable Military and Climbing Career
Purja rose to international prominence in 2019 after climbing all 14 mountains with peaks above 26,000 feet in 189 days, shattering the previous record by more than seven years. His achievement was chronicled in the Netflix documentary “14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible,” released two years after his historic climb. Before his mountaineering fame, Purja served 16 years in the British military, including a decade in special forces. Queen Elizabeth awarded him an MBE in 2018 for his achievements in extreme high-altitude mountaineering.
Born in Nepal, Purja became the first Gurkha to summit Mount Everest while serving in the British Army. He lived in Hampshire, England with his wife and three-year-old daughter. In his final social media post Monday, he revealed he had not initially planned to climb Broad Peak, intending instead to summit only Gasherbrum II, another peak in the same mountain range.
Global Tributes Honor Fallen Climber
Prince William expressed sadness over Purja’s death, praising him for serving “with distinction” as a soldier before “becoming one of the greatest mountaineers.” UK Defense Secretary Wes Streeting called Purja an inspirational man whose military service and mountaineering adventures became known worldwide. Purja’s brother Kamal said the family’s hearts were broken but expressed pride in his younger brother’s legacy. Naila Kiani of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, who climbed on several expeditions Purja led, described him as a very experienced and fearless climber with exceptional leadership skills.