Ten international mountaineers led by renowned Nepali alpinist Al Jazeera are feared missing following a significant avalanche that struck Broad Peak in northern Pakistan, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan. The snowslide hit the 10-person team around midday on Thursday as they traversed the mountain in the Karakoram range, leaving the entire party out of communication.
Broad Peak Avalanche Leaves Nirmal Purja and Nine Climbers Feared Missing in Pakistan
Broad Peak stands at 8,047 meters (26,401 feet) and is the 12th-highest mountain in the world. According to CNN, four bodies have been recovered by ground teams so far. Emergency crews on the ground and in helicopters have been scouring the Karakoram range to locate the remaining climbers.
Expedition Roster and International Team Composition
The ill-fated expedition comprises climbers from multiple nations. According to NBC News, the group includes five Nepalese climbers, Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi of Hunza, Omani climber Nathira, American climber Mallory Geis, a Chinese climber identified as Wang, and another foreign climber whose nationality was not initially disclosed. Nypost reported that Mallory Geis is a travel photographer based in San Antonio, Texas. Climbing Magazine noted that the outfitter utilizes a one-to-one guide-to-client ratio, meaning five members of the team were presumably acting as guides.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan’s president, Maj. Gen. Irfan Arshad Khan, and senior leaders have been in contact with government officials to facilitate rescue operations. The club stated that every effort is being made to mobilize helicopter support and available rescue resources, though actions remain subject to weather and operational conditions.
Mountaineering Background of Nirmal Purja
Expedition leader Nirmal Purja, who is also known as Nims Dai, is a 43-year-old Nepal-born British citizen and former British military service member who joined the British army in 2003 and became a Royal Marine in 2009, as detailed by Theguardian. Purja achieved global renown by climbing all 14 of the world’s peaks over 8,000 meters in six months and six days between April and October 2019. His record-setting exploits were later featured in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible,
according to NBC News.
Before the avalanche on Broad Peak, Purja had shared plans on his X account to climb Cho Oyu, the world’s sixth-highest mountain, in an attempt to become the first person in history to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks twice, CNN reported. In a final message posted prior to the ascent, Purja wrote on social media, Broad Peak, I ask for nothing but safe passage up and back down.
Environmental Conditions and Regional Risks
While Broad Peak is considered by mountaineers to be among the less technical of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks, it remains vulnerable to severe and unpredictable weather, as reported by CNN. Napier Sandford Fuller, a 53-year-old high-altitude climber who led an expedition up Broad Peak shortly before the incident, told Nypost that consistent rain at lower elevations in the days leading up to the disaster would have translated to heavy snowfall and dangerous snow loads at higher altitudes.
Pakistan has previously experienced severe mountaineering disasters, including a 2008 avalanche on nearby K2 that resulted in 11 fatalities, as well as a 2013 incident where three Iranian climbers died on the descent from Broad Peak. The Alpine Club of Pakistan continues to monitor the situation while coordinating rescue efforts with stakeholders and expressing solidarity with the families of the missing climbers.
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