Netflix Mountaineer Nirmal Purja Missing After Broad Peak Avalanche Kills Four

An avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak killed at least four climbers on July 31 and left six others missing, including renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja. The 43-year-old Nepal-born climber, known as Nims Dai, led the 10-person international expedition and holds the record for climbing the world’s 14 highest mountains in just 189 days in 2019, an achievement featured in the Netflix documentary ’14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.’

The avalanche and immediate aftermath

The avalanche struck Broad Peak at about midday on Thursday, July 31, as the climbing team attempted to scale the 8,047-metre mountain in Pakistan’s Karakoram range. The expedition lost contact with base camp immediately after the incident. Pakistani rescue crews located four bodies by Friday evening and began recovery operations despite harsh weather that hampered helicopter flights. The Alpine Club of Pakistan said the search would resume Saturday morning.

Who was on the expedition

The 10-member team included five Nepali climbers, Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi, Omani climber Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, American climber Mallory Geis, Chinese climber Wang Zhong, and others. Two of the four recovered bodies have been identified: Pur Bahadur Gurung from Nepal and Al Harthy from Oman, the first woman from Oman to summit Mount Everest. Geis, 39, had closed her Pilates studio earlier this year to pursue outdoor adventures.

Nirmal Purja’s record and background

Purja, 43, was born in Nepal’s Myagdi district and served as a soldier in the British army before becoming one of mountaineering’s most celebrated figures. In 2019, he climbed all 14 of the world’s highest peaks in 189 days, setting a record for the fastest ascent. He was awarded an MBE in 2018. In a social media post on Monday, Purja said he had not originally planned to climb Broad Peak but decided to attempt it after the initial plan to climb Gasherbrum II changed.

Search and recovery efforts ongoing

Pakistani authorities, including army helicopters and ground rescue teams, are continuing the search for the six missing climbers. Drones have spotted additional bodies on the mountain, though identities and conditions could not be confirmed as of Friday. Sajid Hussain, deputy director of the tourism department in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, told Reuters the search was focusing on a “remote and difficult area.” China’s government said it was trying to verify whether any of its nationals were among the missing climbers and offered assistance to Pakistan.

Final Thoughts

The avalanche on Broad Peak marks a tragedy in high-altitude mountaineering. With four confirmed dead and six missing, including the record-holding Nirmal Purja, rescue teams face a race against harsh weather and difficult terrain to locate survivors.

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