The global mountaineering sphere and the nation of Nepal are reeling from an unthinkable tragedy: an unexpected avalanche on Pakistan’s 8,047-meter Broad Peak has claimed the lives of all 10 members of an expedition, six of whom were Nepali climbers, including trailblazing British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal “Nims” Purja. The entire team went missing last Thursday after being caught in the deadly snow slide, and rescue efforts have now confirmed no survivors.
Purja, who catapulted to global fame after his record-breaking feat of summiting all 14 of the world’s tallest peaks in just over six months, was a beloved figure in Nepal, where he spent decades elevating the profile of unsung Nepali climbing guides. The 40-something climber leaves behind a wife and three-year-old daughter in Hampshire, southern England. Before turning to full-time high-altitude mountaineering, Purja served 16 years in the British military, 10 of those in the special forces, and was awarded an MBE by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2018 for his mountaineering achievements. He made history as the first Gurkha to summit Everest while still serving in the British military, and his unprecedented 14-peak expedition was documented in the 2021 Netflix documentary that introduced him to audiences worldwide. In 2024, he faced unproven sexual misconduct allegations from two women, which he vehemently denied through his legal representation.
Tributes have poured in from across the globe, starting with Nepal’s highest office. Prime Minister Balendra Shah honored Purja’s memory, saying, “His history of courage, dedication and contribution will always remain inspiring.” For Purja’s older brother Kamal, the loss is unfathomable. “I feel as though I have lost my whole world,” he wrote in an emotional Facebook post. “My brother was not only my younger brother – he was my heart. Although our hearts are broken, we are incredibly proud of you. Your legacy will live forever.”
At Purja’s alma mater, Small Heaven School in Nepal’s Chitwan district near Kathmandu, students and staff gathered to hold a candlelight vigil, mourning the loss of their most famous graduate. “Purja’s bravery has set a great example for our school,” said student Sarbagya Paudel. “Not only has he made our school proud, but he has also brought pride to Nepal.” Longtime staff who knew Purja as a child recalled his unshakable drive even at a young age. “As a young boy Purja was fearless and committed to achieving something,” said former hostel supervisor Shailendra Baral in an interview with AFP. “He was honest and an obedient student, which made us happy. We found courage in him even when he was a child.” Childhood friend Bahadur Panta, who joined dozens of mourners at the school vigil, shared that he and countless others spent days praying for a miracle after news of the avalanche broke. “It was not only me and my friends. I think people all over the world who knew him prayed for him. But it was his fate, no one could avoid it,” Panta said.
While Purja is the most internationally recognizable name lost in the tragedy, the expedition included several other legendary figures from Nepal’s tight-knit climbing community. Among them was Pur Bahadur Gurung, widely known as Yukta, who had summited Everest an extraordinary 10 times. In 2024, he was part of the team that discovered a century-old climbing shoe on Everest, believed to have belonged to Andrew Irvine, the British climber who disappeared alongside George Mallory during their 1924 expedition. Fellow mountaineer Uttam Lapraki paid tribute to Gurung on social media, writing, “Standing with you on the summit of Mount Everest is a memory I will cherish forever. The Himalayas have lost one of their finest sons, but your courage, kindness, and legacy will continue to inspire generations of climbers.”
Another fallen climber, Kili Pemba Sherpa, made history as part of the first all-Nepali winter expedition to summit K2, the world’s second-highest peak, in 2021 – an expedition that also included Purja. Imagine Nepal, the expedition company where Sherpa worked as a guide, shared a moving tribute on Instagram: “He stood with us from the very beginning, from the days we first started climbing together. He was humble in every way and never tired of helping climbers when they needed him. He was a foundation of our team and a part of every summit we have ever celebrated.”
The remaining four climbers killed in the avalanche hailed from the United States, China, Oman, and Pakistan. Broad Peak, first successfully summited by an Austrian expedition in 1957, has long been regarded as one of the most challenging and dangerous high-altitude peaks in the world, with dozens of climbers having lost their lives on its slopes since the first ascent. Social media platforms have been flooded with tributes to all 10 climbers, with many noting Nepal is in national mourning for the six fallen local mountaineers. “We have lost a legend and many great climbers,” one comment read. “Their legacy will live on.”