ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The dead body of the famous Nepali climber Nirmal Purja has been recovered from Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region on Sunday, three days after the devastating snow avalanche that killed his 10-member team.
In addition to Purja’s body, the bodies of three other climbers have been recovered so far. China’s Wang Zhong and Nepal’s Nima Sherpa and Kili Pemba Sherpa are among them. The recovery process of the bodies is complicated due to difficult weather conditions.
According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), Nirmal Purja’s body was found at an altitude of about 5,700 meters above sea level on Broad Peak. In addition, rescuers noted that they found another body at a significantly higher altitude, but it is currently impossible to retrieve it because of the high risk of avalanches and difficult terrain. The ACP expressed great relief that the long search for the body of the famous climber Nirmal Purja has ended.
The fatal expedition also included ten other climbers from Nepal, Pakistan, Oman, the USA, and China. Previously, the bodies of Oman’s Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, Nepal’s Pur Bahadur Gurung and Gyalu Sherpa, and an American climber Sarah Mallory Geis were found.
Rescuers tried to reach the site of the disaster by helicopter, but bad weather prevented them from doing so. A group of eight Pakistani and Nepalese rescuers had to search for survivors and bodies on foot.
Meanwhile, Broad Peak, which is 8,051 meters high, is the twelfth-highest mountain in the world. This peak is known as one of the most complex ridges in the Karakoram.
Nirmal Purja, who was 43 years old, became famous for climbing all fourteen peaks in the world higher than 8,000 meters in six months. He became a hero in the BBC documentary called 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.
The former Gurkha and British Special Forces soldier will be missed by many. He set numerous records, including his exploits in the Himalayas, where he conquered eight mountains in the last month.
