The bodies of four international climbers, including the renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, who had gone missing following an avalanche on Broad Peak, have been recovered.
According to details, a breakthrough has occurred in the ongoing search and rescue operation on Broad Peak, the world’s twelfth-highest mountain, with the recovery and identification of the bodies of four more missing foreign climbers.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced that the bodies recovered by rescue teams have been identified as world-renowned mountaineers Nirmal Purja, Wang Zhong, Nima Sherpa, and Kili Pemba Sherpa.
The ISPR stated that the ground rescue team, operating under extremely difficult conditions, has transported these four identified bodies from Broad Peak Base Camp to Camp 1, and arrangements are being made for their further transfer.
The bodies of three climbers had already been recovered from Broad Peak, bringing the total number of bodies found during this expedition to seven.
Relief workers have confirmed that the body of another climber has been spotted at a higher altitude near the “death zone”; however, due to extremely hazardous terrain, treacherous glaciers, and adverse weather conditions, it is currently impossible to reach or retrieve this eighth body.
Also Read, Nirmal Purja among 10 killed in Broad Peak avalanche
Earlier, Renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, one of the world’s most celebrated high-altitude climbers, died after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in northern Pakistan, killing all 10 members of his expedition.
Elite Expeditions, the company leading the climb, confirmed Purja’s death on Saturday, saying it shared the news with “profound sadness and immense heartbreak”. The company also confirmed that the other members of the expedition did not survive.
The avalanche hit on Thursday as the multinational team was climbing Broad Peak, the world’s 12th highest mountain, in Pakistan’s Karakoram range. Regional authorities said the climbers were at an altitude of about 6,600 metres when the powerful avalanche swept through.