Rescuers searching for ten climbers missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in Pakistan located four bodies on Friday. Adverse weather hampered helicopter flights as international teams and local authorities worked to reach the high-altitude site, where acclaimed mountaineer Nirmal Purja was among those reported missing.
Broad Peak Avalanche Triggers Urgent Search Across Pakistan’s Karakoram Range
The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed that communication with the expedition was lost immediately following the disaster at the 26,401-foot mountain, which ranks as the twelfth-highest peak in the world.
Two Pakistan Army aviation helicopters were deployed alongside ground rescue teams to scour the area. However, severe weather conditions significantly delayed flight operations, leaving rescuers to battle heavy winds and low visibility while trying to reach the stranded climbers.
Four Bodies Recovered Amid Severe Weather Challenges
Recovery efforts yielded grim results on Friday as search teams located four bodies in the disaster zone. The Gilgit-Baltistan region’s police spokesperson confirmed the recovery through a social media statement, noting that Preliminary reports indicate that four bodies have so far been recovered,
according to details relayed by Agence France-Presse.
Chief Minister Amjad Hussain of the Gilgit-Baltistan region confirmed that persistent bad weather continued to obstruct search-and-rescue sorties throughout Friday. Karrar Haidri, vice president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, emphasized the isolation of the group, stating, The team has been out of communication since Thursday.
“Every possible effort is being made to ensure that helicopter support and all available rescue resources are mobilized at the earliest opportunity, subject to weather and operational conditions.”
Alpine Club of Pakistan
Expedition Roster Includes International Climbers and Local Guides
The missing expedition comprised mountaineers from multiple nations. According to data released by the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the team included five Nepalese mountaineers, Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, an Omani climber named Nathira, American climber Mallory Geis, a Chinese climber identified only as Wang, and one additional foreign climber.
Acclaimed British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja led the expedition. Purja, a 43-year-old former British army soldier widely known as Nims Dai, achieved global renown in 2019 by summiting the world’s 14 highest peaks in 189 days, a feat documented in the Netflix film 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible.
Moving Mountains, a Pakistan-based travel company, stated last month that the team was traveling toward Askole ahead of the climb. The organization noted that the expedition marked the first attempt by Geis—a 39-year-old from San Antonio who closed her Pilates studio earlier this year—to scale an 8,000-meter peak in Pakistan. For Sakhi, a local geographer, high-altitude photographer, and guide for the company, the climb was anticipated to be his final major ascent.
Diplomatic Outreach and Ongoing Uncertainty
As search operations pressed forward, the Chinese government announced it was attempting to verify whether any of its citizens were among the missing group. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning addressed reporters in Beijing, stating, 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.
Northern Pakistan remains a major draw for international mountaineers due to its concentration of towering peaks in the Karakoram range, which contains five mountains exceeding 26,000 feet. However, rapid weather shifts and frequent avalanches make the region notoriously hazardous for climbing expeditions, leaving rescuers racing against deteriorating conditions to locate the remaining missing climbers.
