Nirmal Purja, featured on Netflix, among 10 climbers killed in Pakistan avalanche
Renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja and nine others have died following an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan's Karakoram range. Rescue teams are working to recover the remaining bodies after weather conditions previously hampered operations.
Why it matters
The tragedy highlights the extreme risks associated with high-altitude mountaineering and the loss of a prominent figure in the global climbing community.
Famous mountaineer Nirmal Purja, who was the subject of a 2021 Netflix documentary, was among 10 climbers confirmed dead on Saturday on the world’s 12th-tallest mountain in Pakistan. The climbers were killed when they were hit by an avalanche on the 26,414-foot-tall Broad Peak Thursday in the Karakoram mountain range. "The world has lost one of mountaineering's greatest climbers," Elite Exped, the company involved in the expedition, said in a statement, adding, "we mourn not only Nims, but every life lost in this tragedy." AMERICAN CLIMBER'S REMAINS FOUND AFTER AVALANCHE IN PAKISTAN, OTHER MOUNTAINEERS STILL MISSING The company added, "No words can ease the pain of this unimaginable loss." Purja had been leading the group up Broad Peak. A Pakistani rescue team recovered three bodies on Friday, including American Sarah Mallory Geis, but had to temporarily halt the operation in the "remote and difficult" area due to weather conditions.
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