Missing climbers feared lost after avalanche on Broad Peak
ISLAMABAD — Ten international climbers are missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in northern Pakistan, one of the world’s highest mountains, reports BritPanorama.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan received initial reports that the avalanche struck the team led by renowned Nepal-born mountaineer Nirmal Purja, and the climbers have been out of communication since, according to club Vice President Karrar Haidri.
The expedition includes five Nepalese climbers: Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi of Hunza, Omani climber Nathira, American climber Mallory Geis, a Chinese climber identified as Wang, and another foreign climber, Haidri said.
The club’s president, Maj. Gen. Irfan Arshad, and senior leaders are in contact with government officials to facilitate an immediate search-and-rescue operation.
The club stated that every effort is being made to mobilize helicopters and other rescue resources quickly, subject to weather and operational conditions.
Nirmal Purja, also known as Nims Dai, is a British citizen born in Nepal, famous for scaling the world’s 14 highest peaks in 189 days in 2019, a record that stood until a Norwegian woman and her Nepali Sherpa guide set a new record in 2023. Purja’s climbs were the subject of the Netflix documentary “14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.”
The 26,401-foot Broad Peak in the Karakoram range ranks as the world’s 12th-highest mountain. Pakistan attracts climbers from around the globe to attempt its challenging summits.
“The Alpine Club of Pakistan is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with all concerned stakeholders,” the statement said, adding that the club stands in solidarity with the climbers’ families and the international mountaineering community.
