Nirmal Purja, celebrated globally for his record‑breaking climbs, had given an exclusive interview to DNA before embarking on his latest expedition. He had promised to share another upon his safe return, a testament to his enduring bond with Pakistan’s readership. Yet fate had other plans—this journey turned out to be his last
DNA
GILGIT: The Alpine Club (ACP) of Pakistan said on Sunday that a rescue team had found celebrated Nepali climber Nirmal Purja’s body at approximately 5,700 metres on the Broad Peak mountain — three days after he and other members of his team were reported missing after an avalanche.
On Saturday, his expedition organising company Elite Exped announced that all members of the expedition, which also included Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, had died.
The bodies of three climbers were recovered by then, as well as the remains believed to be of a climber from the United States, Naila Kiani of the ACP told on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the ACP announced in a statement that Purja’s body had been found.
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“The Alpine Club of Pakistan shares this update with profound sorrow. The ground rescue team has reached Nirmal Purja ‘Nims Dai’ at approximately 5,700m on Broad Peak, where three additional bodies have also been sighted, though their identities remain unconfirmed. The ground team will bring the bodies down to the Japanese camp.
“Recovery efforts continue under extremely difficult terrain conditions. This information reflects preliminary field reports and remains subject to further confirmation. We urge the public to await official updates before sharing unverified details,” the statement said.
Prior to the announcement, ACP General Secretary Ayaz Shigri told Dawn that the ground rescue team was heading towards the advanced base camp on the mountain to carry out the operation. He said that the mountain’s terrain, risk of avalanches and steep slopes were posing challenges in the way of rescue efforts, adding that helicopters could not be employed due to weather conditions.
Nirmal Purja, celebrated globally for his record‑breaking climbs, had given an exclusive interview to DNA on June 30, 2026, before embarking on his latest expedition. He had promised to share another upon his safe return, a testament to his enduring bond with Pakistan’s readership.
Yet fate had other plans—this journey turned out to be his last. Purja’s passing marks the end of an era in high‑altitude mountaineering, leaving behind a legacy of courage, resilience, and inspiration. His words and achievements will continue to inspire generations of climbers and adventure enthusiasts worldwide.
