Daijiworld Media Network – Islamabad
Islamabad, Aug 2: The body of renowned Nepalese-British mountaineer Nirmal Purja was recovered on Sunday, three days after he and nine other climbers were swept away in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's Gilgit-Baltistan region, the Alpine Club of Pakistan said.
The club said Purja's body was found at an altitude of around 5,700 metres. With the latest recovery, five bodies have been retrieved so far, while efforts are continuing to locate the remaining five climbers.
"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 Alpine Club of Pakistan said in a statement.
The club said the ground rescue team would transport the bodies to the Japanese camp, adding that recovery operations were continuing under extremely difficult terrain conditions.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by the mountain's steep slopes, the continued risk of avalanches and adverse weather, which has prevented the use of helicopters.
Purja and nine other climbers — five from Nepal, one each from Pakistan, Oman, the United States and China — were swept away on Thursday after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in the Karakoram range near K2.
Broad Peak, the world's 12th-highest mountain, is regarded as one of the most technically challenging peaks for climbers.
On Saturday, Purja's expedition company, Elite Exped, announced that all 10 members of the expedition had died in the avalanche. Four bodies had already been recovered on Friday.
Alpine Club of Pakistan president Major General Irfan Arshad said three of the recovered victims were identified as Oman's Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, Nepal's Pur Bahadur Gurung and American Mallory Geis. Their bodies were airlifted to Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Purja was widely regarded as one of the world's finest mountaineers. In 2019, he set a world record by climbing all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres in just six months and six days. He had been attempting to become one of the few climbers to summit all 14 eight-thousanders for a second time with the ascent of Broad Peak.