E-Paper
Nepal climber Nirmal Purja missing for over 24 hours after Pakistan avalanche; 4 bodies found
Nirmal Purja was leading the group of 10 climbers that went missing at Pakistan's Broad Peak after an avalanche on Thursday.
Rescuers have reportedly found dead bodies of four climbers after 10 went missing in an avalanche at Pakistan's Broad Peak on Friday as harsh weather hampered search and rescue operations.
Of the four dead bodies found, three have been recovered and sent a hospital, officials said, news agency Associated Press reported. Search is on to rescue other missing climbers, including renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja who was leading the group. The three deceased have been identified as Nepalese climber Pur Bahadur Gurung, Omani climber Nathira Ahmed and American climber Mallory Geis, according to the regional Gilgit-Baltistan government. Track live updates on Pakistan avalanche
Also read: 3 dead in 10 days: Two terror attacks rock J&K despite high security alert
Bad weather has been a constant challenge for the rescuers and the same was acknowledged by Gilgit-Baltistan region chief minister Amjad Hussain.
The avalanche and the missing climbers
An avalanche struck Broad Peak when the group was on their way to scale the mountain on Thursday. Soon after, the climbers lost contact with their base camp Karrar Haidri, vice president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, was quoted as saying by AP.
The team has been out of touch since Thursday, Haidri said, adding that army helicopters were part of the search-and-rescue operation.
Also read: 'Since when is abusing a crime?': What CJP said on FIR over girl's remarks against PM Modi
At 8,047 meters (26,401 feet), Broad Peak is the world’s 12th-highest mountain and lies in Pakistan’s Karakoram range, home to five of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 meters. It is among the major attractions for climbers from around the world.
However, climate change has made the expeditions more risky, making northern Pakistan more susceptible to avalanches.
What we know about the missing climbers?
The team of climbers, led by Purja, that went missing in northern Pakistan included members from across the world. It comprised five Nepali climbers in addition to the Omani and American climbers, Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, a Chinese climber identified only as Wang and one other foreign climber, the Alpine Club told AP.
China said it was trying to verify whether any of its nationals were among the 10 climbers missing.
Also read: ‘First and last mistake… am just 15’: Girl booked for PM Modi remarks ‘apologises’ in viral video
“We will provide assistance to Chinese citizens in need and are also willing to offer help in accordance with the needs of the Pakistani side,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning was quoted as saying.
Purja is a Nepal-born former soldier in the British army widely known as Nims Dai. He climbed the world’s 14 highest peaks in a record 189 days in 2019, an achievement featured in the Netflix documentary, “14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible.” His record was surpassed in 2023.
