Nirmal Purja and Kili Pemba Sherpa died when an avalanche struck Broad Peak in Pakistan on 30 July. Mingma G Sherpa led a multi-day foot recovery that brought their bodies and those of other climbers down the unstable slope.
Who were the climbers caught in the Broad Peak avalanche?
Nirmal Purja, known as Nims, was a former British Gurkha and Special Forces soldier who gained international attention for climbing all fourteen 8000-metre peaks in six months. Kili Pemba Sherpa, often called Kilu, was a childhood friend and experienced high-altitude guide. Both were part of a ten-climber group ascending Broad Peak when the avalanche occurred. Mingma G had met Nims in 2021 during the first winter ascent of K2. The two Nepalese climbers had initially viewed each other with caution but later became close after deciding to share the K2 record. Mingma G described Nims as kind-hearted and one of the most beautiful human beings he had met. Kilu and Mingma G had climbed many peaks together and planned to speak again once both reached their next camps. Mingma G came from the Sherpa community and had spent twenty years building his reputation as a mountain guide. Nims had taken a different route through military service before becoming one of the world’s best-known mountaineers. The pair had climbed together on various peaks, with Nims frequently on Everest. On this trip they walked into the Karakoram together before splitting for separate climbs. Nims asked Mingma G to wait one more day so they could meet again, but that meeting never happened. Mingma G still regrets it. The three friends had sung together while marching toward the summit of K2 years earlier under crisp skies and in snowstorms.
How did the avalanche unfold on Broad Peak?
The group started in clear weather with no wind. Less than an hour after trekkers photographed them on the slope, a large ice-slab collapse triggered the avalanche. Altitude trackers later showed one device had dropped roughly 1600 metres. Drone footage the next morning confirmed bodies on the mountain. Trekkers heard a thundercrack and watched the snow engulf both sides of the peak. Base camp lost contact by mid-afternoon. Mingma G, then on K2, learned of the tracker drop around 20:00 and waited for daylight to send a drone. On 30 July the weather was perfect with sunshine and no winds. Mingma G spoke to Kilu at 08:30; snow conditions looked good and they agreed to talk again at the next camp. Trekkers cheered the climbers on and took photos of small silhouettes against the snow. Less than an hour later the thundercrack sounded. The Alpine Club of Pakistan told the BBC that heavy snow earlier in the week had fallen, but initial research pointed to an ice-slab collapse as the cause, irrespective of fresh snowfall. By 15:00 no one at base camp had contact with the Broad Peak group. Mingma G’s team on K2 began calling officials, families and contacts in Kathmandu. Around 20:00 the altitude readings dropped sharply. Mingma G still had hope, especially for the experienced and physically strong Kilu and Nims.
Why did Mingma G cancel his K2 expedition?
Mingma G was leading a team on nearby K2 when contact with the Broad Peak group ceased. After the drone images arrived, he called off his own climb. He then organised the recovery of four bodies identified from the footage: Purja, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Wang Zhong and Nima Sherpa. Gyaljen Sherpa was later found nearby. Mingma G spoke with the families, including Kilu’s wife who asked him not to leave her husband on the mountain. The Pakistani army did not respond to requests for helicopter support, and weather later delayed an approved flight. When the drone operator radioed that bodies had been spotted, Mingma G felt totally blank. He was not ready to accept losing so many friends at once. He still held a feeling they might be alive and need help. Later that day he cancelled the K2 expedition. He called Nims’s wife and brother-in-law; they struggled to believe the news. Kilu’s wife could say little but told him not to leave her brother on the mountain. Organising the recovery was complicated because the K2 climbers faced pressure from their own families to return home. From the drone images Mingma G thought a helicopter and long-line rope could work, but he was told it would not be possible. In Nepal similar work would have taken two minutes by helicopter.
What made the recovery operation especially difficult?
Helicopter support was unavailable because of weather and coordination delays. The slope remained unstable, with further avalanches striking during the operation. The team size shrank from nine to four as members left. Mingma G directed the final three climbers by drone while they worked on foot. The slope held large glacial ice pillars that could collapse at any moment. In Nepal similar recoveries would have taken minutes by helicopter, but here the team had to proceed on foot with ropes. The Pakistani army would have provided helicopters but did not respond to BBC questions. The Alpine Club of Pakistan said a request made on 1 August was approved, yet poor weather prevented flights for days. With the slope unstable there was constant risk of falling rocks and further avalanches. A larger team risked more casualties; a smaller team struggled to move the bodies. Mingma G hung back to monitor by drone while the remaining three worked. Some team members began leaving as days passed. Numbers fell from nine to six, then four. The precarious position of three bodies, including Nims, placed them in the centre of a slope with large glacial ice pillars balanced on either side.
How were the bodies eventually brought down?
After several days the remaining team used ropes to lower the bodies section by section. One body slid further during a second avalanche. The recovered climbers were flown first to Skardu, then Islamabad, and finally to their families. Two additional bodies were located later; one climber remains on the mountain. Mingma G observed that Nims and Kilu had covered their faces with jackets and were still attached by the same rope, suggesting they may have struck each other during the fall of roughly 500 metres. On 1 August the rescue team set off for four bodies seen in the drone shots. Another avalanche hit while they worked, sending one body farther down. Three others, including Nims, ended up in a more dangerous spot. The team needed a new plan. The final descent took five to six hours. Mingma G believes Nims and Kilu saw the avalanche coming and prepared. He fears they hit each other on the way down rather than the fall itself killing them. The bodies were flown by helicopter to Skardu, then Islamabad, and home to their families. Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi’s body was found days later, as was American climber Mallory Geis. Nawang Thindu Sherpa remains on the mountain. Nims’s family thanked the extraordinary team led by Mingma G who worked in incredibly challenging conditions.
Frequently asked questions
What caused the Broad Peak avalanche?
The Alpine Club of Pakistan reported that an ice-slab collapse, not fresh snowfall, triggered the event.
Did Nirmal Purja and Kili Pemba Sherpa see the avalanche coming?
Mingma G observed that both men had covered their faces with jackets, suggesting they had time to react before being swept down.
Why was helicopter recovery ruled out?
Weather prevented approved flights for several days, and ground conditions made long-line operations impractical according to Mingma G.
How long did the foot recovery take?
The final descent of the bodies from the high slope to safer ground took five to six hours under drone supervision.
Where are the remaining bodies now?
Most recovered climbers reached their home countries. Nawang Thindu Sherpa’s body has not yet been retrieved from the mountain.
Key takeaways
Nirmal Purja and Kili Pemba Sherpa died in the 30 July Broad Peak avalanche.
Mingma G led the recovery after cancelling his own K2 expedition.
Helicopter support proved unavailable due to weather and logistics.
The team completed the recovery on foot despite repeated avalanches.
Bodies were flown via Skardu and Islamabad to the families.
Outlook for high-altitude recovery teams
The operation highlighted limits on rapid aerial support in the Karakoram and the physical risks borne by small recovery teams. Mingma G has questioned whether memories of the mission will allow him to continue climbing at the same intensity. He recalls the three friends singing together on a sunny K2 ascent years earlier, yet remains uncertain whether those memories will keep him climbing or persuade him to stop. The recovery does not compare to any other mission he has done. As he looks back with deep sorrow, he feels the end of his career could be coming. Memories of Kilu and Nims will always be with him, but he is not sure if the memory helps him keep climbing or makes him stop.
