ISLAMABAD: The bodies of celebrated British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja and three of his team members have been transported to base camp following a grueling recovery operation after a catastrophic avalanche claimed their lives on Broad Peak, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) confirmed on Wednesday.
براڈ پیک پر جاری سرچ اینڈ ریکوری آپریشن کے تیسرے روز مزید تین کوہ پیماؤں کی لاشیں برآمد کر لی گئی pic.twitter.com/4fvFvWeyp9
— Sheikh Qasim (@sheikhqasim93) August 5, 2026
The disaster struck on July 30, severing contact with the 10-member international expedition led by the 43-year-old Purja, a former Gurkha and SBS soldier renowned for his record-breaking climbing feats. His company later confirmed no survivors from the avalanche, which has sent shockwaves through the global mountaineering community.
BREAKING NEWS
The bodies of Nirmal Purja ‘Nimsdai’ and three fellow climbers have been brought to Broad Peak base camp following what the Alpine Club of Pakistan described as an “exceptionally challenging and technically demanding” recovery operation.https://t.co/2B1JrHjASQ— Everest Chronicle (@EverestChron) August 5, 2026
Recovery operation brings partial closure as search continues
In a social media statement, the ACP announced the successful recovery of Purja, Chinese mountaineer Zhong Wang, and Nepali climbers Nima Sherpa and Kilu Sherpa following an “exceptionally challenging and technically demanding” mission on the treacherous slopes of Broad Peak.
A search team has transported the bodies of renowned climber Nirmal Purja and three of his team members to the base camp of the mountain. pic.twitter.com/zkWsZ104Qo
— Pakistan TV Digital (@PakistanTVcom) August 5, 2026
“While today marks an important milestone, three climbers remain missing,” the club stated, confirming its commitment to supporting all possible efforts to locate and recover them “whenever conditions allow, so that they too may be returned home to their loved ones.”
The remains of three other expedition members, an American woman, an Omani woman, and a Nepali man, had already been airlifted off the mountain to Skardu earlier.
Read Also: Pakistan Alpine Club Says Rescuers Recover Nepalese Climber Nirmal Purja’s Body
Pakistani climber among missing as community grieves
The bodies of Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi of Hunza and two Nepali nationals have yet to be found. Funeral prayers in absentia were offered for Sakhi in his hometown of Aliabad on Monday, where hundreds gathered to pay tribute to the young climber and offer condolences to his grieving family.
The loss has devastated the alpine climbing fraternity, with President of Nepal’s National Mountain Guide Association Tul Singh Gurung lamenting that they had “lost a generation of accomplished mountaineers.”
Read Also: WATCH: Archive Footage Of Missing Mountaineer Nirmal Purja Arriving in Kathmandu in 2019
ACP President Major General (retd.) Irfan Arshad Khan told Dawn that the recovered bodies would be airlifted to Skardu by helicopters, though operations had been grounded for three days due to adverse weather conditions. “We hope this recovery brings them a measure of peace and the opportunity to lay their loved ones to rest with the dignity they deserve,” the club said.
Recovery of Three #BroadPeak Climbers’ Bodies Requires Specialized Helicopter Long-Line Operation#SKARDU , August 5:
The bodies of three climbers who lost their lives in the recent Broad Peak tragedy remain stranded on a steep and hazardous cliff at an altitude of… pic.twitter.com/GdBCJZK6sQ
— Gilgit-Baltistan Times (@gbtimes) August 5, 2026
International support and gratitude for rescue teams
The ACP extended its gratitude to the ground recovery team led by Mingma G and supported by Sirbaz Khan, as well as Pakistani and Nepali recovery personnel, the Pakistan Army, governments of Pakistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, local authorities, and the British High Commission and Nepali Embassy for their invaluable support.
Read Also: Mountaineer Nirmal Purja, Nine Others Die in Broad Peak Avalanche in Pakistan
Nirmal’s business partner and Nepal’s House of Representatives member Mingma David Sherpa, monitoring the operation, praised the “courage, professionalism, and selfless commitment” of the recovery team for carrying out the mission “under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions.”
“Our thoughts also remain with the families of the three climbers who are still missing. We remain committed to supporting every possible effort to bring them home when conditions safely allow,” he added.
“Giving up is not in the blood Sir, not in the blood …”
Nirmal Purja
Rest in Peak @nimsdai pic.twitter.com/dbg6BG374a— Hakan YILDIRIM (@tathar_tasardur) August 5, 2026
Broad Peak: A formidable challenge
Broad Peak, the world’s 12th highest mountain at 8,051 metres, stands in the Karakoram range and is considered one of the most technically demanding of all 8,000-metre-plus ascents.
First summited in 1957 by an Austrian team, the peak has claimed numerous lives over the decades, serving as a stark reminder of the perils that accompany the pursuit of mountaineering glory at extreme altitudes.
