Renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal "Nimsdai" Purja has been confirmed dead after a massive avalanche struck Broad Peak in the Karakoram range of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The confirmation was announced by Elite Exped, the expedition company associated with Purja, through an Instagram statement two days after he went missing in the avalanche.
The 43-year-old was leading an expedition to summit Broad Peak when the avalanche hit on Thursday afternoon. Contact was subsequently lost with all 10 members of the expedition.
The team comprised six climbers from Nepal and one each from Pakistan, Oman, the United States and China. Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi was among those on the expedition.
After the incident, the Pakistan Alpine Club said efforts were being made to deploy a rescue helicopter to the mountain.
Tributes pour in
Remembering Purja, Elite Exped described him as one of the greatest climbers in mountaineering history, praising his courage, humility and unwavering belief in the limitless potential of human beings.
"The world has lost one of mountaineering's greatest climbers; a leader who inspired millions through his courage, humility and unwavering belief that human potential is far greater than we often imagine," the company said in its Instagram post.
Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah also paid tribute to Purja and the five other Nepali climbers, saying mountaineering symbolised far more than reaching a summit—it represented courage, discipline, sacrifice and the determination to push the limits of human endurance.
"Mountains give many climbers the glory of reaching their summits, but sometimes they also embrace them forever. Yet mountaineers, through their courage and dedication, remain immortal in history," Shah wrote on Facebook.
He added that although their physical journeys had come to an end, their bravery, commitment and contributions would continue to inspire future generations.
Who was Nirmal Purja?
Purja was widely regarded as one of the world's finest mountaineers and gained international recognition in 2019 after scaling all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres in just over six months.
His achievement broke the previous record held by South Korean climber Kim Chang-ho, who had completed the feat over seven years.
The extraordinary expedition was later documented in the Netflix film 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.
Before turning to professional mountaineering, Purja served for 16 years in the British military. He first joined the Brigade of Gurkhas before becoming part of the Royal Navy's elite Special Boat Service.
In 2018, he was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his military service.
Purja's passion for mountaineering began after a trek to Everest Base Camp in 2012, an experience that, according to the Nimsdai Foundation website, ignited his ambition to pursue the world's highest mountains.
That journey marked the beginning of an extraordinary career that established him as one of the most recognised names in high-altitude climbing.
Among the toughest mountains to climb
Standing at 8,051 metres, Broad Peak is the world's 12th-highest mountain. Situated in the Karakoram range near K2, close to the illegal Pakistan-China border, it is regarded as one of the most challenging peaks in the world.
The mountain was first climbed in June 1957 by Austrian expedition members Fritz Wintersteller, Marcus Schmuck, Kurt Diemberger and Hermann Buhl.
Its English name was given by British explorer Martin Conway in 1892, inspired by the similarly named Breithorn in the Alps.
Although Broad Peak is sometimes referred to as Falchan Kangri, the name is not widely used by the local Balti community.
