An avalanche occurred on Broad Peak, which stands at 8,047 meters in the Karakoram range of Pakistan, resulting in 10 international climbers going missing, including Nirmal Purja, a world-class Nepalese climber who holds the record for conquering all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters within just six months. Authorities are preparing to launch a search operation as soon as the weather conditions allow.
Pakistan's mountaineering officials revealed that the avalanche happened around midday last Thursday on Broad Peak, which is 8,047 meters tall, located in the Karakoram range in northern Pakistan. After the incident, all members of the climbing team lost contact immediately, and so far, they have been unreachable. Officials fear that all 10 may be in danger due to the event.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan stated that it is currently coordinating with the government and related agencies to mobilize helicopters and rescue teams to the area as soon as weather and flight conditions are safe.
Among the missing is Nirmal "Nims" Purja, a 43-year-old Nepalese climber and former British Army soldier and Royal Navy Marine, who is widely regarded as one of the world's most skilled mountaineers.
Purja made history in 2019 by summiting all 14 world peaks over 8,000 meters in just over six months, breaking the previous record of 7 years and 10 months. He also holds several Guinness World Records for the fastest ascents of high mountains.
Before departing, he posted on X that he originally planned to climb only Gasherbrum II but decided to add Broad Peak to his mission. If successful, he would become the first person to climb all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters twice without supplemental oxygen.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed that the missing climbers include five Nepalese led by Nims Purja; one Pakistani climber, Sohel Saqee from Hunza region; one Omani climber; one American climber; one Chinese climber named Mr. Wang; and another international climber whose nationality has not been disclosed.
Recently, Nepal's Kantipur newspaper reported that Purja's tracking device still shows movement. Mingma Gyabu Sherpa, Purja's business partner, said the location data is still changing. However, it is not yet confirmed whether this movement is from the climber himself or other factors.
Broad Peak is the 12th highest mountain in the world and is one of the peaks over 8,000 meters known among climbers as the "death zone" because the oxygen level is too low to sustain human life for long periods.
This peak is recognized as one of the most challenging and dangerous climbing routes globally due to unpredictable weather, avalanches, and difficult terrain. In 2022, it inspired a Netflix documentary and film titled "Broad Peak," which tells the story of a Polish climber attempting to conquer the mountain in winter.
Pakistani officials continue to closely monitor the situation and are preparing to begin search and rescue operations as soon as weather conditions improve to find all 10 missing climbers.
/sourceBBC