Rescuers recover climber Purja’s body after avalanche disaster

SKARDU: Rescuers recovered the body of renowned climber Nirmal Purja on Sunday after an avalanche killed him and nine team members on one of the world’s highest peaks in northern Pakistan, the Alpine Club of Pakistan said.

The avalanche struck on Thursday, cutting off contact with the international expedition led by Purja, a 43-year-old British-Nepali climber, on Broad Peak.

“The ground rescue team has reached Nims Dai (Purja) at approximately 5,700m on Broad Peak — a mountain he loved, and a mountain that has now taken him from us,” the club posted on social media.

The club’s general secretary Ayaz Shigri said a ground rescue team was transporting four bodies — including those of Purja, two other Nepali nationals and a Chinese citizen — down from the mountain.

“Rescuers have also confirmed the presence of one additional body at a significantly higher elevation,” he said in a statement.

“Due to the extremely hazardous terrain and prevailing conditions, it is unlikely that a recovery attempt will be made at this stage,” he added.

Purja’s expedition company confirmed on Saturday that no team members had survived.