Four bodies have been recovered following an avalanche on Broad Peak, an 8,047-metre-high mountain, in Pakistan, with search and rescue teams continuing efforts to locate climbers who remain missing, according to The Kathmandu Post. Among those reported missing is world-famous Nepal-born climber and former Royal Marine Nirmal Purja, who was leading a 10-member international mountaineering team.
An American, a Chinese national, an Omani and five Nepalis are said to be part of the climbing group.
The Broad Peak, the world’s 12th highest mountain, located in the Karakoram mountain range was struck by an avalanche around Thursday midday. The identities of the four recovered bodies have not yet been confirmed, Alpine Club of Pakistan president Irfan Arshad Khan said as per the Nepal publication The Kathmandu Post.
“According to the initial information received, the expedition comprises 10 climbers, including five Nepalese mountaineers led by the renowned climber Nims Dai, one Pakistani climber, Sohail Sakhi from Hunza, one Omani climber, one American climber, one Chinese climber, Mr Wang, and one other foreign climber. The entire team has reportedly been out of communication since the avalanche,” the club’s vice-president, Karrar Haidri, said in a statement.
The club said that it had been “in constant contact” with the authorities to ensure that “all available resources are mobilised at the earliest opportunity”.
“The Alpine Club of Pakistan is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with all concerned stakeholders,” it said.
Further updates will be shared as more information becomes available.
Other missing climbers include Nepalis Pur Bahadur Gurung, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa and Nawang Thindu Sherpa.
The team also includes Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, Chinese climber Wang Zhong, American climber Mallory Geis and Omani climber Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
The club said it received “deeply concerning reports” of an avalanche that struck the climbing team around midday on Thursday.
Major General Khan and the club’s senior leadership are in contact with government authorities and relevant agencies to coordinate search and rescue operations.
“Every possible effort is being made to ensure that helicopter support and all available rescue resources are mobilised at the earliest opportunity, subject to weather and operational conditions,” the Alpine Club of Pakistan said.
The club said it was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with all stakeholders involved in the rescue operation.
Search and rescue efforts are continuing, with weather and operational conditions expected to determine the availability of helicopter support.
Earlier, in an official release, the Alpine Club confirmed that it “has received deeply concerning reports of an avalanche that struck a team of climbers on Broad Peak” around noon on Thursday.
Stressing the seriousness of the event, the official announcement noted that “the entire team has reportedly been out of communication since the avalanche”.
The Nepal-born high-altitude climber, Nirmal Purja, gained global renown in 2019 after scaling all 14 of the world’s peaks above 8,000 metres in slightly over six months.
