Famed Nepali climber Nirmal Purja, whose remarkable ascents were documented in the Netflix film “14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible,” has been confirmed dead following an avalanche that struck an expedition in the Himalayas. Purja, 43, was leading a group of 10 climbers on the 26,400-foot Broad Peak in Pakistan when the snowslide occurred midday Thursday, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
Initially reported as missing, Purja's death was confirmed in a social media post on Saturday by the Nimsdai Foundation, which he founded. “His legacy will live on in the countless lives he changed and the people he inspired to climb their own mountains,” the foundation stated.
Three other climbers were also confirmed dead: Nadhira Al Harthy of Oman, Pur Bahadur Gurung “Yukta” of Nepal, and Sarah Mallory Geis, a travel photographer from San Antonio, Texas. Recovery efforts for the remaining six climbers are ongoing, authorities reported.
Broad Peak is the 12th-tallest mountain in the world. A climber who had traversed the peak the previous week noted that heavy rain in the days leading up to the incident could have created a significant snow load on the mountain, making survival prospects grim.
Purja held the record for the fastest ascent of the world’s 14 highest mountains, a feat achieved in 2019 and chronicled in the Netflix documentary. A former soldier in the British army, he completed the challenge in just over six months. Purja had expressed a desire to use his platform to highlight and honor Nepal’s Sherpa people, who frequently guide and support climbers attempting Himalayan summits.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan stated that all available resources and helicopter support were being mobilized for the recovery operations.