Broad Peak Avalanche: Bodies of Nirmal Purja, Climbers Reach Skardu
SKARDU: The bodies of five international climbers, including celebrated British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, were flown to Skardu on Thursday after a deadly avalanche on Broad Peak ended one of the season’s most closely followed high-altitude expeditions in tragedy.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan said the remains of Purja, Wang Zhong, Nima Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa and Killi Pemba “Kilu” Sherpa were transported by helicopter to Combined Military Hospital Skardu after a difficult recovery operation on one of the world’s highest and most dangerous mountain routes.
The avalanche struck on July 30, severing contact with a 10-member international expedition led by Purja. His company later confirmed that there were no survivors, turning the rescue effort into a recovery mission under extremely harsh weather and terrain conditions.
According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the recovered bodies will be moved onward to Islamabad after legal, medical and identification formalities are completed. The club said special arrangements are being made for repatriation to the climbers’ home countries, while officials in Skardu received the remains with formal honours.
ACP Secretary General Ayaz Shigri said seven bodies had so far been recovered and shifted to Skardu. He added that the search was still continuing for Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi and American climber Sarah Mallory Geis, both of whom remain missing as the operation entered its eighth day.
Officials involved in the recovery said the mission was made especially difficult by unstable snow, avalanche danger and changing weather around Broad Peak. Naila Kiani of the Alpine Club of Pakistan said the body of Nawang Thindu Sherpa had been located but could not be retrieved because of the hazardous position where it was found.
The arrival of the bodies in Skardu drew representatives from the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the civil administration, the tourism department, the Pakistan Army and local officials. Those present paid tribute to the deceased climbers and acknowledged their contribution to mountaineering, adventure tourism and high-altitude exploration.
Broad Peak, located in the Karakoram range near K2, has long attracted elite climbers from around the world, but its altitude, weather patterns and avalanche-prone slopes make it one of Pakistan’s most demanding climbing destinations. Accidents in the region often require coordination between local porters, military aviation, rescue specialists and mountain communities.
For Pakistan, the tragedy is also a reminder of both the global importance and the risks of its high-altitude tourism sector. Gilgit-Baltistan’s mountains bring international attention and economic activity, but rescue capacity, weather forecasting, expedition management and emergency preparedness remain crucial to protecting climbers and local support teams.
The immediate next step is the continuation of the search for the remaining missing climbers while authorities complete documentation for the recovered bodies. Families, expedition teams and mountaineering groups now await further updates from Skardu as the recovery operation continues in difficult conditions.