A massive search and rescue operation commenced in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region on Friday following an avalanche that struck Broad Peak the previous day, leaving ten mountaineers unaccounted for. Among the missing are Nirmal Purja, the celebrated Nepali climber known for setting world records in high-altitude mountaineering, and Sohail Sakhi, Pakistan's elite high-altitude mountaineer. The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed that the group comprises six Nepalese climbers, one Pakistani, one Omani, one American, and one climber from China, each with considerable experience on the world's most formidable peaks.
The missing Nepali mountaineers have been identified as Purja, Pur Bahadur Gurung, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa, and Gyalu Sherpa. The international contingent includes Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy from Oman, Wang Zhong from China, and Mallory Geis from the United States. According to accounts from the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the climbers had been participating in a coordinated summit push involving multiple expedition teams when the avalanche struck around midday, sweeping the group approximately one thousand metres down the mountainside and leaving them stranded in perilous conditions.
Rescue authorities mobilised substantial resources to mount a response. The Pakistan Army dispatched two aviation helicopters equipped with specialised rescue personnel and equipment to the region. The Alpine Club of Pakistan's Senior Vice President Karrar Haidri stated that the organisation maintained constant communication with government authorities and relevant agencies to facilitate the operation. Officials stressed that helicopter-assisted rescue efforts were expected to commence on Friday morning, contingent upon weather conditions and operational feasibility at such extreme altitude. Beyond the ten confirmed missing, there were concerns that local high-altitude porters assisting the expeditions may also have been caught in the avalanche.
Nirmal Purja, aged 43, represents one of the most accomplished mountaineers of the modern era. The former soldier served with distinction in Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas before joining the elite Special Boat Service of the Royal Marines, where he developed the mountaineering expertise that would later define his civilian career. Since transitioning to full-time mountaineering and guiding, Purja has shattered numerous climbing records. Between April and October 2019, he achieved the extraordinary feat of summiting all fourteen eight-thousander peaks—mountains exceeding eight thousand metres in elevation—in just six months and six days, setting what was then a world record. The accomplishment demonstrated not only physical endurance but also meticulous planning and execution at the limits of human capability. Building on this achievement, Purja completed the first winter ascent of K2 in 2021, leading a team of nine other Nepalese climbers in conquering the world's second-highest peak during the brutal winter season.
Sohail Sakhi, the Pakistani climber also missing in the avalanche, has established himself as one of his country's most accomplished high-altitude mountaineers. A native of Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan, Sakhi demonstrated his elite mountaineering prowess by successfully summiting Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak at 8,586 metres, in May of this year in Nepal. His mountaineering resume extends to some of the world's most technically demanding peaks: he has successfully scaled K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I, and Gasherbrum II, remarkably achieving these ascents without supplemental oxygen. This approach of climbing without supplemental oxygen represents a significant additional challenge and places Sakhi among Pakistan's strongest high-altitude climbers, capable of operating in the so-called death zone where oxygen levels are insufficient to sustain human life.
The response from Gilgit-Baltistan's provincial leadership underscored the gravity of the incident. Chief Minister Amjad Hussain Advocate issued directives placing all relevant departments on heightened alert and instructing district administration to mobilise every available resource. He specifically emphasised the need to maintain aerial and ground rescue teams on standby, prepared to launch immediate assistance operations the moment weather conditions permitted. Despite the challenging conditions at altitude—where weather can shift rapidly and severely limit operational capacity—the chief minister stressed that rescue efforts must continue uninterrupted. His communication highlighted the urgency while acknowledging the constraints imposed by environmental factors beyond human control.
Broad Peak, which rises to 8,051 metres, ranks among the world's most dangerous mountains relative to the number of climbers who attempt it. Located in the Karakoram range along the Pakistan-China border, Broad Peak has claimed numerous lives over the decades, with avalanches representing one of the primary hazards. The mountain's reputation for avalanche danger stems from its geology and weather patterns, which create unstable snow conditions particularly during the climbing season when multiple teams are operating simultaneously. The incident on Friday represents yet another reminder of the profound risks inherent in high-altitude mountaineering, regardless of climber experience or preparation.
The circumstances surrounding the missing climbers carry particular poignancy for the international mountaineering community, which has celebrated Purja's record-breaking achievements and Sakhi's technical mastery. Both men represent the pinnacle of their respective countries' mountaineering traditions. Purja's story of rising from a military background to international prominence through mountaineering has inspired many aspiring climbers throughout Nepal and beyond. Sakhi's achievement of climbing the world's most formidable peaks without supplemental oxygen reflects the exceptional capability of Pakistani mountaineers in a region—Gilgit-Baltistan—that has produced generations of elite climbers and trekking guides.
The broader significance of this incident extends beyond the immediate personal tragedy to considerations of safety protocols in high-altitude mountaineering. The coordination of multiple expedition teams on the same peak, while necessary given the compressed climbing seasons at extreme altitude, creates additional complexity during emergencies. The successful location and rescue of the ten missing climbers will depend on coordinated efforts between Pakistani authorities, the international mountaineering community, and the families of the missing climbers who can provide critical information about their loved ones' routes and equipment. As search efforts continue, the mountaineering world awaits news while reflecting on the inherent dangers that climbers accept when pursuing summits on Earth's highest peaks.
