William ‘truly saddened’ as ex-British Army soldier Nirmal Purja confirmed dead
Renowned Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja has died following an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan. Prince William expressed his condolences, honoring Purja's legacy as a distinguished former soldier and world-class climber.
Why it matters
The death of a high-profile mountaineer highlights the extreme risks associated with high-altitude climbing and the global impact of his contributions to the sport.
Nirmal Purja at Windsor Castle after being made an MBE (Andrew Matthews/PA) PA Archive Pierra Willix 4 minutes ago The Prince of Wales has said he was “truly saddened” to hear of the death of former British Army and Royal Marines soldier Nirmal Purja, as the company he co-founded confirmed he died in Pakistan in an avalanche.
The Nepalese mountaineer was leading an expedition of 10 climbers on Broad Peak – the world’s 12th highest mountain – in the north of the country when the avalanche struck at about midday on Thursday.
Following search efforts, his company Elite Exped confirmed Mr Purja was killed.
In a post from William on social media on Saturday evening, he called Mr Purja “one of the world’s greatest mountaineers” and “truly unique”.
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