Tragedy in Northern Pakistan: 4 Bodies Recovered After Massive Avalanche

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Mountaineering communities worldwide are in mourning after a devastating avalanche struck an international expedition on Broad Peak in northern Pakistan’s Karakoram range. Rescuers recovered four bodies on Friday, while the search continues for six other climbers who remain missing in a race against worsening alpine weather.

The disaster unfolded on the world’s 12th-highest mountain, a towering 8,047-meter (26,401-foot) peak renowned for attracting elite climbers but notorious for sudden, violent shifts in weather.

The tragedy occurred on Thursday morning when a wall of snow swept through an international team of 10 climbers as they attempted to scale the upper reaches of the mountain. The group immediately lost all communication with their base camp.

Among those reported missing is famed Nepal-born British mountaineer Nirmal "Nims Dai" Purja, who gained global celebrity status for breaking world records by scaling the 14 highest peaks in just 189 days—a feat chronicled in the popular documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible.

The highly diverse expedition also included five other Nepali climbers, American climber Mallory Geis, Pakistani high-altitude photographer SohailSakhi, Omani mountaineer Nathira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, and a Chinese climber identified as Wang Zhong.

Upon receiving reports of the disaster, the Alpine Club of Pakistan mobilized a specialized ground rescue team and coordinated with the Pakistani military to deploy army search helicopters.

By Friday morning, ground crews navigating the treacherous, unstable terrain located four bodies amidst the debris. Senior government officials confirmed that efforts are underway to retrieve the victims, though their identities have not yet been formally verified or released to the public out of respect for the families.

The search for the remaining six climbers continues to face intense challenges. Thick cloud cover, high winds, and freezing temperatures have severely restricted helicopter visibility, forcing ground teams to push forward on foot into remote, deeply hazardous zones.

In Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry stated they are working closely with Pakistani authorities to verify the safety of their nationals and offered immediate assistance. Meanwhile, representatives from the Alpine Club of Pakistan expressed deep solidarity with the global mountaineering community, noting that every available resource is being pushed to the limit, subject to operational conditions.

The Karakoram range draws hundreds of thrill-seekers and elite athletes every year, but accidents remain incredibly frequent. As families wait in agony at base camp and abroad, rescuers refuse to give up, keeping the operation active well into the evening in hopes of finding survivors.