Tragedy: Top climber killed in avalanche on Broad Peak
Nirmal Purja, who broke the world climbing record, has died in Pakistan alongside nine other expedition members. The organizing company confirmed the tragedy, and his business partner stated that tracking data showed him being swept down the mountain.
Nirmal Purja, a former British Army soldier and Nepal native who stunned the climbing world when he summited all 14 of the world's peaks over 8,000 meters in just six months, was killed in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan. In the accident, which occurred last Thursday, nine other members of the expedition were killed. Purja was 43 at the time of his death.
Purja's death was confirmed today, Saturday, in a statement by the company Elite Expedition on social media:
"It is with deep sorrow and a broken heart that we confirm that Nirmal Nimsdai Purja has tragically lost his life following an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan. We have received confirmation that other members of the expedition did not survive, unfortunately."
Contact lost
CNN reported yesterday, Friday, that a snowstorm buried nine members of an expedition climbing Broad Peak in Pakistan. As of Friday evening, four people were found lifeless by ground teams, according to Arafat Arshad Khan, president of the Pakistan Alpine Club.
Purja was on Broad Peak as part of the expedition when the avalanche hit the team on Thursday. Climbing authorities in Pakistan stated that there had been no contact with the group since the incident. Mingma Gyabu Sherpa, a member of the Nepalese parliament and Purja's business partner, noted that tracking data showed Purja's location changed after the avalanche — he initially appeared to be swept down the mountain, and then moved again from the point where the signal was lost.
Purja, known in the global climbing community as "Nims Dai," became one of the most recognizable figures in modern mountaineering. This followed his completion of what he called "The Possible Project" — an attempt in 2019 to climb all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters within seven months. He finished the mission in just six months and six days, shattering the previous record by more than seven years.
Purja spent a significant portion of his climbing career testing the extreme limits of human endurance, driven by an unwavering belief that anything is achievable if a person just decides to achieve it.
