Nims Dai Purja Among 10 People Missing After Avalanche Strikes Pakistan’s Broad Peak

[Updated with more information missing climbers]

A search operation is underway in Pakistan’s Karakoram Range after avalanche struck Broad Peak on Thursday, July 30, leaving a 10-member international expedition team led by legendary mountaineer Nirmal “Nims” Purja missing. The avalanche hit around midday on Broad Peak (26,414 feet / 8,047 meters), the world’s 12th-highest mountain, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan. The incident severed communication with the expedition, and officials said there had been no immediate confirmation of casualties or survivors.

“The entire team has reportedly been out of communication since the avalanche,” Karrar Haidri, senior vice-president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan said in a statement.

The missing climbers include five Nepali mountaineers led by Purja, the Nepal-born former British Special Boat Service soldier who became one of the most famous figures in modern Himalayan climbing after completing all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in just six months and six days in 2019. Other members of the climbing group have been identified by the Alpine Club of Pakistan as the following climbers:

• Pakistani climber, guide, and photographer Sohail Sakhi from Hunza,
• Nadhira Al Harty from Oman, who was the first Omani woman to climb Everest,
• Mallory Geis, an American climber from San Antonio, Texas.
• Wang Zhong from China, who was aiming to climb all of the world’s 14ers,
• an unidentified tenth person.

This is an evolving situation, so SnowBrains will update this list as information becomes available.

Major General Irfan Arshad, president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said the organization was coordinating with government agencies and rescue teams to begin emergency operations. “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,” the Alpine Club of Pakistan said in the statement.Weather conditions remain a major factor, with helicopter access dependent on visibility, winds, and flying conditions in the high-altitude environment.

Mingma David Sherpa, co-founder of Elite Exped, confirmed the incident and said a search helicopter was expected to reach the area early Friday if conditions allowed.

Located on the Pakistan-China border near K2, Broad Peak is one of the legendary mountains of the Karakoram. Although it is not considered among the most technically difficult 8,000-meter peaks, its altitude, unpredictable weather, and avalanche exposure make it a serious objective. Avalanches remain one of the biggest hazards faced by climbers in the region, particularly during periods of heavy snowfall and changing temperatures. The incident occurred during the busiest period of the Karakoram climbing season, with teams currently attempting Broad Peak, K2, and Gasherbrum I.

The avalanche comes only nine days after Purja successfully climbed Gasherbrum II (26,362 feet / 8,035 meters) without supplemental oxygen, marking the 57th successful ascent of an 8,000-meter peak of his career. The climb left him with only Cho Oyu remaining to complete his ambitious “Hat-Trick Project”—an attempt to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks three times while also completing the Seven Summits three times.

Purja first gained worldwide recognition in 2019 with his record-breaking “Project Possible,” when he climbed all 14 eight-thousanders in just over half a year, shattering the previous record by years. Beyond climbing, Purja has focused on humanitarian efforts through the Nimsdai Foundation, which supports education and community projects in Nepal. One of its flagship initiatives, the Lobuche Porter House in the Everest region, opened earlier this year to provide accommodation for porters working in the Himalaya.

SnowBrains will update this article as the search for the 10 climbers continues this morning in Pakistan. We have reached out to EliteExped and Nims’ communications manager Catherine Bolado for comment.