Rescue operations on Pakistan’s Broad Peak have resulted in the recovery of three bodies following an avalanche that killed or injured a 10-member international climbing expedition. The search teams located a total of four remains, with three successfully transported to a hospital for identification. The recovered bodies were identified as Pur Bahadur Gurung of Nepal, Nathira Ahmed of Oman, and Mallory Geis of the United States. The identity of the fourth body discovered has not yet been released.
The climbing team lost communication with their base camp after the avalanche struck on Thursday while they were attempting to ascend Broad Peak, which stands at 8,047 meters and ranks as the world’s 12th-highest mountain. The expedition was led by renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, a Nepal-born former British soldier known as Nims Dai, who gained international recognition for summiting the 14 highest peaks globally in a record timeframe featured in a Netflix documentary. The team comprised five Nepali climbers, climbers from Oman and the United States, a Pakistani guide, a Chinese climber, and one additional foreign climber.
Search and rescue efforts have been significantly constrained by severe weather conditions in the region, with helicopter operations repeatedly grounded or delayed. Regional authorities indicated the operation would continue into the following day, with the Chief Minister acknowledging the challenging environment. Avalanches and unpredictable weather patterns are documented hazards during mountaineering expeditions in northern Pakistan’s Karakoram range.
The expedition included several individuals undertaking significant personal mountaineering milestones. Geis, aged 39 from San Antonio, was making her first attempt at an 8,000-meter peak, while Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, described as a guide, geographer, and high-altitude photographer, was expected to conclude his mountaineering career with this expedition. Chinese authorities announced they were attempting to confirm whether any Chinese nationals were among the missing climbers and offered assistance to any affected citizens.
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