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SCMP’s Asia desk

Rescuers have found the body of celebrated mountaineer Nirmal Purja as they sift through a massive avalanche that killed all 10 members of an expedition on Pakistan’s Broad Peak, officials said on Sunday.
“The ground rescue team has reached Nirmal Purja ‘Nims Dai’ at approximately 5,700 metres on Broad Peak,” said Naila Kiani, a spokeswoman for the Alpine Club Pakistan.
She said the bodies of seven climbers had been found so far. The bodies of three others - Wang Zhong, Nima Sherpa and Kili Pemba Sherpa “Kilu” - have also been traced, she added.
The bodies are to be brought down amid extremely difficult conditions, she said.


British-Nepali climber Purja, 43, was renowned for ascending all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre (26,000-foot) peaks in a record 189 days in 2019.
His feat was spotlighted in Netflix’s 2021 documentary, 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.
Purja had been leading a multinational expedition of nine other climbers on the world’s 12th-highest mountain when the avalanche struck at around noon on Thursday, according to Associated Press.
All were confirmed to have died and search teams were trying to recover their bodies, Purja’s expedition company, Elite Exped, told the news agency on Saturday.
“The world has lost one of mountaineering’s greatest climbers,” Elite Exped said in a statement, adding that it mourned all the lives lost.

“No words can ease the pain of this unimaginable loss.”
The expedition consisted of five Nepali climbers, as well as US, Pakistani, Omani and Chinese nationals, spread over four teams.
They had set off for Broad Peak’s summit in the early hours of Thursday morning, according to news agencies.
The tour operator lost contact with the group at 9am but news of the avalanche came in only in the evening.
On Friday, a search-and-rescue mission was started and a drone spotted some bodies lying at an altitude of about 6,600 metres.
The physical journey of all the deceased climbers... has been interrupted, but the history of their courage, dedication, and contributions will always remain inspiring
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah
News of Purja’s death plunged Nepal into mourning, with Prime Minister Balendra Shah leading the nation in paying tribute to the renowned mountaineer.
“The physical journey of all the deceased climbers... has been interrupted, but the history of their courage, dedication, and contributions will always remain inspiring,” he said in a social media statement on Saturday.
A large hoarding paying tribute to Purja was erected at the main city square in Kathmandu, Agence France-Presse reported. It showed a picture of the mountaineer in climbing gear with the message: “You will be remembered.”
The climbing community also mourned Purja.
“It is a big loss for not just Nepal but the entire mountaineering community,” Ishwori Poudel, senior vice-president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, told the news agency. “He inspired so many. We had not seen climbers on the 8,000 peaks like this before him. His contribution for this is huge.”

Beyond his record summits, Purja’s most enduring contribution was shifting global perception towards Nepal’s Sherpa community. Long relegated to supporting roles, Sherpa mountaineers began gaining recognition as Purja’s fame shone a spotlight on their achievements.
Purja, who served with Britain’s Brigade of Gurkhas before joining the Special Boat Squadron of the Royal Marines, told CNN after his record-breaking feat in 2019 that he wanted to use his platform to honour the community.
“Even though they were top climbers, they didn’t get the right recognition,” he said. “Hopefully, I thought I could uplift their names.”
Tul Singh Gurung, president of the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association, said: “He showed Nepalis that climbing doesn’t have to be just work, that you can climb for your own fun and passion.”
A guide who worked closely with Purja, said he would always miss his “brother”. “Because of you our nation gained recognition and the world learned who the Sherpas are,” Gelje Sherpa wrote on social media.
British adventurer Bear Grylls told The Guardian the news of Purja’s death was “heartbreaking for so many climbers around the world who had a relationship with this remarkable and unique man”.
Grylls had worked with Purja in a 2023 documentary, Finding Michael.

They were asked to recover the body of Michael Matthews, the youngest Briton to climb Everest, who disappeared on the mountain in 1999.
Purja also risked his life twice to help others.
While descending from Annapurna in April 2019, he led the rescue of Malaysian climber Chin Wui Kin, who had been separated from his expedition and left without food, water or oxygen for 40 hours. He later died in hospital.
Weeks later, Purja and his team rescued two climbers from Kanchenjunga at a height of 8,400 metres, sacrificing their own supplementary oxygen to the climbers.
“For me it’s not about ego,” he previously told the Guardian. “It’s about principles. You can’t call yourself a climber and not help in that situation.”
Britain’s Prince of Wales said he was “truly saddened to hear of the tragic death”.
“Nims served with distinction in the British Armed Forces before becoming one of the world’s greatest mountaineers, putting Nepalese climbers on the map,” Prince William wrote on social media, using Purja’s nickname.
“His relentless pursuit of what seemed impossible, combined with his humility and selflessness, made him truly unique. My thoughts are with his family and the families of all those who died.”


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Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2019, after climbing all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in a record 189 days. Photo: AP

Nepali-British mountaineer Nirmal Purja stands on the summit of Nanga Parbat in 2019. Photo: Nirmal Purja/dpa

Broad Peak is the world’s 12th tallest mountain in the Karakoram range of Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan. Photo: AFP

Nirmal Purja saw this scene, of dozens of mountain climbers lining up to stand at the summit of Mount Everest, in May 2019. Photo: Nirmal Purja

Nirmal Purja speaks at a news conference after climbing six mountains, including Mount Everest, on May 28, 2019. Photo: Reuters

Nirmal Purja talks to the media at the Tribhuvan International airport after becoming the first to summit Pakistan’s K2 mountain in winter on January 26, 2021.Photo: AFP

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The British-Nepali climber was renowned for ascending all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in a record 189 days in 2019


The British-Nepali climber was renowned for ascending all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in a record 189 days in 2019.


Nepal mourns climber Nirmal Purja after body found on Pakistan’s Broad Peak

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The British-Nepali climber was renowned for ascending all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in a record 189 days in 2019

The British-Nepali climber was renowned for ascending all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in a record 189 days in 2019