Rescue Mission Launched for 10 Climbers Missing on Broad Peak

A major search and rescue operation was launched on Friday for 10 climbers who disappeared after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in Gilgit-Baltistan. The missing group includes internationally known Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja and prominent Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, raising alarm across the global high-altitude climbing community.

The avalanche reportedly hit the expedition around midday on Thursday while several teams were attempting a coordinated summit push. According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the missing climbers comprise six Nepalese nationals, one Pakistani, one Omani, one American and one Chinese mountaineer.

The Nepalese climbers were identified as Nirmal Purja, Pur Bahadur Gurung, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa. The other missing climbers are Oman’s Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, Pakistan’s Sohail Sakhi, China’s Wang Zhong and American mountaineer Mallory Geis.

Alpine Club of Pakistan Senior Vice President Karrar Haidri said two Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters had been sent with rescuers and specialised equipment to support the mission. He said the organisation’s leadership remained in close contact with senior government officials and relevant agencies, while rescue resources were being mobilised according to weather and operational conditions.

Ayaz Shigri, the club’s general secretary, said location data received from some members of the expedition suggested that the avalanche had swept the climbers roughly 1,000 metres down the mountain. The group was believed to be trapped in difficult terrain, while authorities were also investigating concerns that local high-altitude porters may have been caught in the disaster.

Broad Peak is one of the world’s highest mountains and forms part of the Karakoram range near K2. Expeditions in the region face extreme cold, unstable snowfields, sudden weather changes and limited access to emergency assistance, making rescue efforts particularly challenging when climbers are stranded at high altitude.

Purja, a former member of Britain’s Brigade of Gurkhas and the Royal Marines’ Special Boat Squadron, became globally recognised after climbing all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres in six months and six days in 2019. He was also part of the Nepalese team that completed the first winter ascent of K2 in 2021, a landmark achievement in mountaineering history.

Sakhi, who comes from Hunza, has built a strong reputation among Pakistan’s leading high-altitude climbers. He summited Kanchenjunga in Nepal earlier this year and had previously climbed K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II without relying on supplemental oxygen.

The incident has renewed attention on emergency preparedness and rapid-response capacity in Pakistan’s mountain tourism sector, which attracts climbers from around the world. Families and fellow mountaineers are awaiting further information as rescue teams assess weather conditions, analyse location signals and attempt to reach the missing climbers as quickly as possible.