Nims Purja among ten mountaineers missing after avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak

Islamabad: A group of ten international mountaineers spearheaded by a prominent Nepal-born climber, Nimal Purja, remain unaccounted for following an avalanche that hit Broad Peak, among the planet's highest peaks located in northern Pakistan.

Karrar Haidri, Vice President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, announced in a Thursday evening bulletin that initial intelligence indicated the slide struck the expedition guided by Nims Dai (aka Nimal Purja), leaving the party unreachable.

The climbing party comprises five Nepalese mountaineers under Nims Dai, Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi from Hunza, Omani national Nathira, American climber Mallory Geis, an individual from China designated as Wang, and an additional foreign adventurer, according to Haidri.

Major General Irfan Arshad, president of the organisation, alongside other senior officials, has been liaising with state authorities to coordinate a rapid search-and-rescue response.

The association noted that all necessary measures are being pursued to deploy helicopters and alternative rescue assets promptly, pending local weather and operational feasibility.

Standing at 8,047 metres (26,401 feet) within the Karakoram range, Broad Peak represents the twelfth highest summit globally. Pakistan hosts multiple major peaks that regularly draw international mountaineers seeking to conquer the heights.

“The Alpine Club of Pakistan is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with all concerned stakeholders,” the statement said. It added that the club stands in solidarity with the climbers' families and the international mountaineering community.