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Noted climber Nirmal Purja among 10 dead in avalanche in Pakistan
NBC News • • world
Key Points:
- Renowned Nepali climber Nirmal Purja, famous for the fastest ascent of the world’s 14 highest mountains, died in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan, along with nine others from the expedition.
- The avalanche occurred on Thursday at Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain, and recovery of the bodies has been challenging due to difficult terrain and limited helicopter rescue capabilities in Pakistan.
- Purja, 43, was a former British Gurkha and special forces soldier who completed his record-breaking climbs in six months in 2019 and gained international fame through the Netflix documentary "14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible."
- Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah and UK Defence Minister Wes Streeting expressed deep sorrow, highlighting Purja’s courage, dedication, and inspirational legacy in mountaineering.
- Rescue operations continue with drone assistance to locate victims, but the difficult site and safety concerns have delayed the retrieval of all bodies.
