Prince William stated he was "truly saddened" by the death of Nirmal Purja, a celebrated British special forces climber and former British Army soldier, who perished in an avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak. The avalanche struck the world's 12th highest mountain on Thursday, killing Purja and nine other climbers.
Purja, 43, was leading an expedition of ten climbers when the group vanished. Search efforts confirmed the deaths of Purja and other expedition members on Saturday, according to his climbing company, Elite Expeditions. Among the confirmed deceased were Nepalese climber Pur Bahadur Gurung, Omani climber Nathira Ahmed, and American climber Mallory Geis.
In a tribute shared on X, formerly Twitter, Prince William recalled Purja's distinguished service in the British Armed Forces before his ascent to becoming a "world-renowned mountaineer" who "put Nepalese climbers on the map." He described Purja's relentless pursuit of challenging feats, combined with his humility, as unique, extending condolences to the families of all those lost.
Prime Minister of Nepal, Balendra Shah, announced that a total of ten people died in the incident, including Purja, five Nepalis, one climber from Pakistan and Oman, one from America, and one Chinese national. Naila Kiana, a spokeswoman for the Alpine Club of Pakistan, described Purja as a "very experienced climber" and "fearless."
British adventurer Bear Grylls also paid tribute, calling the incident "heartbreaking for so many climbers around the world." He added, "We will never forget you Nims and your unstoppable spirit."
Elite Expeditions confirmed Purja's death in a statement, expressing "profound sadness and immense heartbreak." The company also mourned the loss of other expedition members and trusted climbing partners and guides, including Pur Bahadur Gurung and Nima Sherpa.
Nirmal Purja joined the British Army in 2003 and later became part of the Special Boat Service, the Royal Navy's special forces unit, in 2009. Broad Peak, standing at 8,047 meters (26,401 feet), is located in Pakistan's Karakoram range, an area known for its challenging peaks attracting climbers globally.
Purja gained international recognition in 2019 after climbing all 14 of the world's mountains exceeding 8,000 meters in just 189 days, significantly surpassing the previous record. This feat was documented in the 2021 Netflix film "14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible."
He previously appeared with former reality TV star Spencer Matthews in the 2023 documentary "Finding Michael," which chronicled an expedition to Mount Everest in search of Matthews' brother, who disappeared on the mountain in 1999.
Matthews shared his grief on Instagram, reflecting on the inherent risks of mountaineering and the profound respect the mountains demand. He offered condolences to all affected by the tragedy.
Born in western Nepal, Purja served in the British military for 16 years, including a decade in special forces. He was awarded an MBE in 2018 for his achievements in high-altitude mountaineering. He was also noted for rescuing a climber in the "Everest death zone" in 2016 while serving in the military.