Nirmal Purja dies in avalanche in Pakistan

Nepali record-breaking climber Nirmal Purja dies in avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak

Renowned for being the fastest climber to summit all 14 eight-thousanders, Nirmal Purja died in an avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak. Nepal's prime minister confirmed the deaths of Purja and the other climbers in his team.

Scraper SystemAugust 01, 2026, 08:07 PM

Nepali record-breaking climber Nirmal Purja dies in avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak

A climbing expedition in the high mountains of Pakistan came to a tragic end. World-renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja died after an avalanche struck Broad Peak. The news of his death was announced by Elite Exped, the tourism agency he was affiliated with, via a statement on Instagram.

In its statement, Elite Exped said: "Today, with deep sadness and unbearable pain, we confirm that Nirmal "Nimsdai" Purja tragically lost his life due to an avalanche on Broad Peak. We have also sadly confirmed that the other participants on the expedition did not survive." The statement emphasized that one of the world's greatest mountaineers had been lost.

Purja, 43, was caught in an avalanche on July 30 while climbing the 8,047-meter Broad Peak. According to GPS data, the climber, who was at 6,660 meters when the avalanche struck, was swept more than 600 meters in just 30 minutes. The device of Omani climber Nadhira Al Harthi recorded a fall of 1,600 meters.

Elite Exped co-founder Mingma Gyabu Sherpa said that initially they had hoped Purja might still be alive because his GPS signals continued to move, but rescue efforts were halted due to adverse weather. On August 1, Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Şah confirmed the deaths of Purja and all team members, saying, "Their courage, dedication, and legacy will forever remain a source of inspiration."

A climber famed for his records

Born in a small village in Nepal, Nirmal Purja joined the Gurkha brigade of the British army in 2003. In 2009, he became the first Gurkha to be accepted into the British Royal Marines Special Forces. Purja, who was introduced to mountaineering during an Everest expedition in 2012, soon turned into a passionate climber. In 2017, he drew attention by climbing Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu in just five days.

Purja earned his main fame in 2019 by climbing all 14 of the world's 8,000-meter peaks in just 189 days. This achievement shattered the previous record of roughly eight years. In 2024, he set a new record by climbing all these peaks without supplemental oxygen. Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the Order of the British Empire in 2018 for his outstanding mountaineering achievements.

His final goal and climb

Purja had not originally planned to climb Broad Peak in 2026. However, at the end of July, he changed his mind and headed for the summit at the head of a team of 10 professional climbers. In a post on X, he wrote: "Shortly before leaving for Pakistan, I recounted my ascents above 8,000 meters. If I climb Broad Peak now, only Cho Oyu will remain. Then I will be the FIRST person in history to climb all 14 eight-thousanders twice. Without oxygen."

The mountaineer always said he wanted to "show that humans have no limits." His story reached millions through the 2021 Netflix documentary "14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible." Purja's death caused deep sorrow in the mountaineering community.

Nepali record-breaking climber Nirmal Purja dies in avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak