Kathmandu: Emergency responders have recovered the remains of celebrated mountaineer Nirmal Purja, who perished alongside nine expedition colleagues in a massive avalanche in northern Pakistan (PoK) earlier in the week, the Alpine Club of Pakistan announced on Sunday.

"The ground rescue team has reached Nims Dai (Purja) at approximately 5,700m on Broad Peak -- a mountain he loved, and a mountain that has now taken him from us," the club stated via social media, with its general secretary subsequently verifying to AFP that Purja's body, alongside three others, had been retrieved.

The ground recovery unit deployed on Broad Peak located the site of the distinguished British-Nepali climber, widely known as "Nims Dai", at an elevation of roughly 5,700 metres.

According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, search teams spotted three additional deceased individuals at the same coordinates, though their identities remain unconfirmed pending formal identification.

Mingma David Sherpa, a veteran Nepali mountaineer who travelled from Kathmandu to Skardu in Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan, shared online that the complex recovery operation is proceeding amidst severe atmospheric hazards, with team protection treated as paramount.

"According to the information received from the ground team today, the team is planning to bring the team from the current location to Camp-1. Then tomorrow, it is reported that the team will bring the Japanese camp. If the weather and mountain conditions cooperate, there is a possibility of a helicopter from the Japanese camp. The main objective of this campaign is to safely rescue the bodies of the deceased friends and return them home with dignity. The safety of the entire team involved in the rescue campaign is our top priority. Every decision is being taken with the safety of the team as the highest priority," Sherpa posted on digital platforms.

During the initial phase of the recovery mission, personnel will physically transport the recovered victims across precipitous, highly technical topography from the higher elevations downward to Camp-1.

Direct helicopter hoisting from high-altitude points has currently been dismissed owing to perilous terrain and the constant threat of secondary avalanches. Search crews indicate the remains will be transferred to the Japanese Camp by Monday should conditions stay favourable.

Assuming atmospheric stability persists, and the peak experiences no further slides, Pakistan Army Aviation aircraft remain on standby at the Japanese Camp to evacuate the fallen climbers and rescue workers to safety in the valley below.

Renowned Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja died as a consequence of the avalanche on Broad Peak, the Nimsdai Foundation confirmed on Saturday.

In a formal release posted to its Facebook profile, the Nimsdai Foundation further noted it had received verification that fellow members of the climbing party failed to survive the disaster.

"Today, it is with profound sadness and immense heartbreak that we confirm that Nirmal 'Nimsdai' Purja tragically lost his life following the avalanche on Broad Peak. We have also received confirmation that other members of the expedition sadly did not survive," the Nimsdai Foundation noted.

The catastrophe occurred on Thursday around midday as a 10-person expedition scaled Broad Peak—which reaches 8,047 metres—at an altitude of approximately 6,600 metres. The party lost all contact on Thursday morning prior to reports of the devastating snow slide emerging that evening, per official briefings cited by Dawn.

AFP/ANI