Purja Among 10 Mountaineers Missing Following an Avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak

Ten mountaineers, including world-renowned climber Nirmal Purja, are feared missing after an avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak, one of the world’s highest mountains according to BBC.

Search efforts have been hampered by bad weather and the Pakistani officials are expected to proceed as soon as the weather permits. Pakistan’s army has dispatched two helicopters for the rescue effort.

Renowned Nepali climber Nirmal Purja is leading the expedition that includes an American, a Chinese, an Omani and five other Nepali climbers according to BBC.

Purja is known for climbing all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre plus mountains in just over six months in 2019.

Pakistani media have reported of two bodies being recovered as further details are still awaited.

There has been no communication with Purja’s team since the avalanche hit at around midday on Thursday on the 8,047-metre peak in the Karakoram range.

Nepal Government Urges for Prompt Search & Rescue

Nepal government has urged the bodies concerned to carry out search for climbers missing in Broad Peak in Pakistan.

Expressing sorrow over the incident of missing of climbers of different countries including Nepal after an avalanche struck them during expedition of the 8,047-metre tall Broad Peak in the Karakoram mountain range in Pakistan, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has urged for the search for the missing climbers.

Issuing a press release today, the Department of Tourism urged all bodies concerned for necessary initiatives and coordination for immediate search and rescue operation of the missing climbers.

The avalanche had occurred on July 30. The Department shared that it has been making continuous coordination with Pakistani government through the Nepali Embassy in Pakistan for search and rescue of the Nepali climbers.

The missing Nepali climbers are Pur Bahadur Gurung ‘Yukta’, Kili Pemba Sherpa ‘Kilu’, Nima Sherpa, Nwang Thindu Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa and Nirmal Purja ‘Nims Dai’.

The Department has also requested to believe only the information issued from the concerned body for authentic information related to search and rescue operation. (RSS)