Ten mountaineers, including Nirmal Purja, a globally recognized climber, are missing following an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan's Karakoram mountain range. The incident occurred around midday Thursday as the team traversed the 26,400-foot peak, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan. Communications with the group have ceased, prompting an extensive search and rescue operation.
The expedition included Mallory Geis, a climber from Texas, Sohail Sakhi from Hunza, one climber from Oman, one from China identified as "Mr. Wang," an unidentified foreign climber, and five Nepalese mountaineers. Purja, a former Royal Marine, is celebrated for ascending all 14 of the world's highest mountains, achievements documented in the Netflix film "14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible."
Concerns about the mountain's stability were raised by Napier Sandford Fuller, an American alpinist with experience on Broad Peak. Fuller, who led an expedition up the mountain the previous week, noted that consistent rainfall in the region could have led to a significant snow load at high altitudes, creating dangerous conditions for avalanches. "If it’s raining … for a week straight, it’s going to have a huge snow load on that mountain," Fuller stated.
Fuller described a near-fatal experience on Broad Peak during his recent climb, where a fixed rope anchor snapped at 26,000 feet, sending him into a free fall. He managed to perform a self-arrest to stop his descent, but the incident highlighted potential equipment issues. He and his sherpa subsequently abandoned the ascent.
Mallory Geis, a travel photographer from San Antonio, was on her first attempt to climb an 8,000-meter peak. Fuller recounted that Geis had initially expressed hesitation but was persuaded by a local guide who deemed her strong enough for the climb. Geis had previously struggled with altitude sickness during an earlier attempt.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan has confirmed that all available resources are being mobilized, and efforts are underway to secure helicopter support for the rescue mission. The organization has stated that every possible effort is being made to locate the missing climbers.