KATHMANDU: A high-altitude rescue helicopter was dispatched to Pakistan’s Broad Peak on Friday morning as search efforts intensified for renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal “Nims” Purja and nine other climbers who have been missing since an avalanche struck the mountain.
Elite climber Mingma David Sherpa said in a Facebook update that aerial search and rescue operations began around 8:00 am after weather conditions improved sufficiently to allow flights over the 8,047-meter peak in the Karakoram range.
The rescue mission follows an anxious overnight wait after a large avalanche hit the climbing team around midday on Thursday, cutting off all communication with the 10-member international expedition.
The incident has drawn global attention as Purja was attempting a historic mountaineering achievement. Days before departing for Pakistan, he revealed that summiting Broad Peak would leave only Cho Oyu remaining for him to become the first person to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks twice without supplemental oxygen.
In a message posted on X, Purja said he approached the mountain with humility and sought only a safe ascent and descent, dedicating the expedition to both his supporters and critics.
According to preliminary information from the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the avalanche swept through a high-altitude section of the route while the multinational team, which includes climbers from Nepal, Pakistan, the United States, China, and Oman, was moving between camps.
Pakistani authorities, mountain rescue agencies, and military aviation teams are coordinating both helicopter searches and ground operations, with officials closely watching weather conditions to continue rescue efforts throughout the day.
Broad Peak in Pakistan is considered one of the more demanding mountains for mountaineering expeditions and is ranked as the world’s 12th highest peak.
The mountain rises to 8,047 meters (26,400 feet) and is located in the Karakoram range, where Pakistani authorities said the avalanche occurred on Thursday.
Broad Peak is also one of the 14 so-called “death zone” peaks that Nirmal Purja famously climbed in just over six months in 2019.
In 2022, the mountain gained additional international attention through the Netflix film Broad Peak, which depicted a Polish climber’s attempt to make the first winter ascent of the summit.
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