An international mountaineering expedition led by renowned climber Nirmal “Nims” Purja has gone missing after a powerful avalanche struck Broad Peak (8,047m) in Pakistan’s Karakoram range around midday on Thursday.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said it lost contact with the 10-member team shortly after the avalanche and is working with government authorities and rescue agencies to launch an emergency search-and-rescue operation as soon as weather conditions permit.
According to the ACP, the missing team includes six Nepalese mountaineers Purja, Pur Bahadur Gurung, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa Sakhi from Pakistan, Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy from Oman, Wang Zhong from China, and American climber Mallory Geis.
ACP Vice President Karrar Haidri said the club is closely monitoring the situation. GPS data reportedly indicates the climbers were swept nearly one kilometre down the mountain and are believed to be trapped beneath the avalanche.
The expedition had begun its summit push on Wednesday and was en route to Camp 3 when the avalanche struck, according to ACP General Secretary Ayaz Shigri. The team had planned to reach the summit by Friday.
“The club prays for the safety and successful rescue of all the climbers and stands in solidarity with their families and the international mountaineering community during this difficult time,” the ACP said in a statement.
Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of four climbers as search operations entered a second day on Friday.
Pakistan Army launches rescue operation
The Pakistan Army has launched a search and rescue operation for 10 climbers who went missing after being caught in an avalanche on Broad Peak in the Karakoram mountain range.
According to officials, two Pakistan Army helicopters were deployed on Friday to search for the missing mountaineers following reports that an avalanche struck the group during their expedition on Broad Peak, one of the world’s highest mountains.
The aerial rescue mission is underway in the challenging high-altitude terrain, with search teams continuing efforts to locate the missing climbers despite difficult weather and mountainous conditions.
Authorities said rescue operations will continue until all missing mountaineers are traced.
Gasherbrum II expedition succeeds
The incident came on an otherwise successful day for Pakistan’s climbing season, with more than 200 foreign mountaineers advancing toward higher camps on K2, Gasherbrum I, and Broad Peak as improved weather created a favourable summit window.
Earlier on Thursday, an eight-member international expedition successfully summited Gasherbrum II (8,035m) between 4:50am and 5:05am, according to Seven Summit Treks.
The summit team included British-Pakistani climber Nadia Azad, Brazilian mountaineer Roman Andrade Romancini, and six Nepalese climbers: Lakpa Sherpa, Lhakpa Temba Sherpa, Pasang Tenje Sherpa, Tashi Sherpa, Ngima Dorchi Sherpa, and Dawasange Sherpa.
Lhakpa Temba Sherpa completed his final 8,000-metre peak, becoming one of the few climbers to summit all 14 of the world’s highest mountains. Meanwhile, Nadia Azad celebrated her fifth 8,000-metre summit after previously climbing Everest, Lhotse, Annapurna, and Manaslu.
The Gasherbrum II team launched its summit bid from Camp 3 on Wednesday after waiting at base camp for favourable weather following a delay earlier this month.
Also read: Bad weather suspends rescue mission for veteran mountaineer Syed Ali Mian
