Ten-person climbing team led by Nirmal Purja missing after Broad Peak avalanche
A multinational group of ten climbers, headed by former Royal Marine Nirmal Purja, has not been heard from since an avalanche struck Broad Peak in Pakistan.
An international climbing team of ten members, under the command of Nepal-born former Royal Marine Nirmal Purja, is feared missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in the Karakoram range of Pakistan. Officials from Pakistan's mountaineering authority reported the slide occurred around midday on Thursday on the mountain’s 8,047-metre summit. The group comprised climbers from the United States, China, Oman and five from Nepal.
Purja, renowned for completing all fourteen 8,000-metre peaks in just over six months in 2019, led the expedition. No communication has been received from any team member since the incident. Search crews hope to launch a helicopter rescue if weather conditions improve.
Why it matters
The disappearance of a high-profile climbing team highlights the dangers of high-altitude mountaineering and may affect future expeditions in the region.
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