Mountaineer Nims Dai among 10 missing following Broad Peak avalanche

Two Pakistan Army Aviation rescue helicopters carrying personnel and specialised equipment have been dispatched to support search and rescue operations on Broad Peak following an avalanche that left 10 climbers missing, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) stated on Friday.

The aerial reinforcement aims to assist ground teams in locating and rescuing the stranded mountaineers in the challenging high-altitude environment of the 8,047-metre peak located in the Karakoram Range.

The missing expedition includes renowned Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja, also known as “Nims Dai”, along with five other Nepalese climbers: Pur Bahadur Gurung “Yukta”, Kili Pemba Sherpa “Kilu”, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa, and Gyalu Sherpa. The remaining team members have been identified as Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi from Hunza, Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy from Oman, Mallory Geis from the United States, and Wang Zhong from China.

According to initial reports received by the ACP on Thursday, the team was struck by an avalanche around midday and has remained out of communication since. Following the incident, ACP President Major General Irfan Arshad and senior leadership initiated coordination with top government authorities and relevant agencies to mobilise all available rescue resources, subject to weather conditions.

The Alpine Club of Pakistan expressed its sincere appreciation to Pakistan Army Aviation and all participating agencies for their prompt response and support, confirming that search and rescue operations remain underway.