Nirmal Purja, the renowned Nepalese climber who made history by summiting all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in just 190 days, has died after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in Pakistan.
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Nine other members of the expedition were also killed in what has been described as one of the worst tragedies in modern mountaineering.
The team was caught in the avalanche on July 30 while climbing from Camp 2 to Camp 3, at an altitude of around 6,600 meters. Rescue efforts began the following day, but severe weather hampered the operation.
The first bodies recovered were those of Nepalese climber Pur Bahadur Gurung, American climber Sarah Mallory, and Nadhira Al Harthy, the first Omani woman to summit Everest. When the search operation resumed, authorities confirmed the death of Nirmal Purja, as well as seven other climbers who had been reported missing.
The confirmation came from Elite Exped, the agency headed by Purja himself. In a public statement, it described him as “one of the greatest climbers in history” and a leader who, through his determination and courage, had inspired millions of people.
The deaths of Purja and the nine other expedition members are considered one of the worst disasters in the history of expeditions to peaks above 8,000 meters, alongside the well-known tragedies on Everest, K2, Manaslu, and Nanga Parbat.
Purja had traveled to Pakistan to climb Gasherbrum II, but later decided to attempt Broad Peak as well. His goal was to become the first person to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters for a second time without supplemental oxygen.
A few days before the disaster, he had posted a message on social media saying: “I do not take any mountain for granted. From the moment I leave base camp, I am 100% focused.”
Nirmal Purja gained worldwide fame in 2019 through his “Project Possible” initiative, during which he climbed all 14 of the world’s highest peaks in just 190 days. The record was also documented in the Netflix production “14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.” A former member of the British special forces, he was regarded as one of the leading figures in modern mountaineering.
