ISLAMABAD (AP) 鈥� Renowned British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja and nine other climbers swept away by an avalanche in are confirmed to have died, and search teams are trying to recover their bodies, Purja’s expedition company said Saturday.
鈥淭he world has lost one of mountaineering’s greatest climbers,鈥� the company, Elite Exped, said in a statement. It stressed that it mourned all the lives lost, adding: 鈥淣o words can ease the pain of this unimaginable loss.”
The 10-member expedition was swept away by an avalanche Thursday on Pakistan鈥檚 Broad Peak.
Rescuers found four bodies and recovered three of them Friday in harsh weather that hampered flights by search and rescue helicopters. had resumed a search earlier on Saturday for the others.
鈥淭he loss of these courageous climbers, who came from different nations united by their passion for the mountains, is an immeasurable loss to the global mountaineering fraternity,鈥� said Irfan Arshad Khan, the president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
Khan paid tribute to the military and civilian rescuers and sherpas who took part in the search mission. 鈥淭he mountains inspire us with their beauty, but they also remind us of the immense risks faced by those who venture into the high Himalaya and Karakoram,鈥� he said.
Earlier on Saturday, a local police official, Tahir Khan, said the remains of Omani climber Nathira Ahmed were being flown to the capital, Islamabad, while the bodies of American climber Mallory Geis and Nepalese climber Bahadur Gurung remained at a hospital in Skardu, the main city in Pakistan鈥檚 northern Gilgit-Baltistan region.
A statement from Geis鈥� family said 鈥淢allory was a bright light who was loved deeply by her family and friends. She will be profoundly missed.鈥�
The expedition was led by Purja, the Nepal-born former British Army soldier widely known as Nims Dai. He climbed the world鈥檚 14 highest peaks in a record 189 days in 2019, an achievement featured in the Netflix documentary 鈥�14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.鈥� His record was broken in 2023.
Purja’s company described him as 鈥渁 leader who inspired millions through his courage, humility and unwavering belief that human potential is far greater than we often imagine.鈥�
The expedition was Geis鈥� first try at an 8,000-meter peak in Pakistan, while it was expected to be the final one for Sakhi, who is a guide for the company, as well as a geographer and high-altitude photographer who has climbed some of the world鈥檚 major peaks, according to the Moving Mountains website.
in northern Pakistan because of avalanches, falling ice and rock, high altitude and rapidly changing weather.
___
Khan reported from Peshawar, Pakistan. Associated Press writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed.
___
This version corrects the name of the expedition company to Elite Exped, which is the company’s formal name.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
