Overview
- A large avalanche swept through overlapping expeditions on Broad Peak on Thursday at about 6,600 metres, and tracking devices indicated some climbers fell several hundred metres.
- Elite Expeditions publicly confirmed the death of Nirmal Purja and announced that members of the expedition did not survive, a determination later echoed by Nepal’s prime minister.
- Pakistani authorities and the Pakistan Alpine Club recovered four bodies and have led search operations, but helicopters and ground teams have been hampered by weather, thin air and steep terrain.
- The ten-person group was international but dominated by Nepali climbers, and Purja’s high profile as the climber who rapidly completed all 14 eight‑thousanders has made the loss widely notable.
- The incident highlights the heavy reliance on Nepali climbers for high‑altitude expeditions, will prompt notifications and consular coordination for families, and raises renewed questions about rescue limits above basecamp.