GILGIT, Pakistan – The Broad Peak avalanche 2026 has become one of the deadliest climbing incidents in recent Karakoram history, as search and rescue operations enter their third day with seven climbers still missing after a devastating avalanche struck an international expedition on Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram range.
The avalanche hit the 8,047-metre (26,400-foot) peak around midday on Thursday, July 30, while the 10-member team was ascending at approximately 6,600 metres. The climbers lost contact with their base camp immediately after the incident.
Three Bodies Recovered
Search teams have recovered three bodies from the mountain, which have been identified as:
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Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy — Oman
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Pur Bahadur Gurung — Nepal
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Mallory Geis — United States
The bodies were airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Skardu by Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters.
Seven Climbers Still Missing
Seven members of the expedition remain unaccounted for:
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Nirmal Purja — Nepal
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Kili Pemba Sherpa — Nepal
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Nima Sherpa — Nepal
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Nawang Thindu Sherpa — Nepal
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Gyalu Sherpa — Nepal
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Sohail Sakhi — Pakistan
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Wang Zhong — China
The 10-member team comprised six Nepalese climbers, one Pakistani, one Omani, one American, and one Chinese climber.
The Expedition Team
The 10-member expedition, led by Purja for his company Elite Exped, comprised climbers from six nations. The team had launched its summit bid on Wednesday and was heading to Camp 3 when the avalanche hit. Sohail Sakhi, the Pakistani climber, is a guide, geographer, and high-altitude photographer who has climbed some of the world’s major peaks. American climber Mallory Geis, 39, had closed her Pilates studio earlier this year to pursue her mountaineering dream.
Search and Rescue Operation
The rescue operation is being conducted through a combination of aerial and ground efforts:
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Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters remain engaged in the search, with two helicopters deployed to support the operation
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A three-member civil rescue team, led by renowned Pakistani mountaineer Sarbaz Khan, has been airlifted to Broad Peak Base Camp
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High-tech drones are being deployed to scan the dangerous, treacherous, and crevassed terrain
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Nepali climbers present at base camp with other expeditions have joined the rescue effort
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Renowned Nepali mountaineer Mingma David Sherpa travelled from Nepal to assist the operation
The operation was suspended late Friday due to adverse weather but resumed on Saturday morning, August 1.
Alpine Club of Pakistan General Secretary Ayaz Shigri noted that “mountain terrain, adverse weather, snow avalanche risks and snowfall create difficulties for rescue team members”.
GPS locations received from some of the missing climbers indicate that the avalanche swept the group approximately 1,000 metres downhill, leaving them trapped. Data from tracking devices shows they were thrown hundreds of metres down the mountainside.
Rescue teams have identified the presence of more climbers at an altitude of 6,000 metres through drone footage, but their identities and condition remain unknown.
Nirmal Purja: A Mountaineering Icon
Nirmal Purja, 43, is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading high-altitude climbers. Born in Nepal, he served with Britain’s Brigade of Gurkhas before joining the Special Boat Squadron of the Royal Marines.
In 2019, he climbed all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres in just six months and six days — a world record at the time. His achievements were chronicled in the 2021 Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. He repeated the feat in 2024, this time without supplemental oxygen. He also led the first winter ascent of K2 in 2021 with an all-Nepali team.
On Monday, just days before the avalanche, Purja wrote on social media that Broad Peak was the penultimate mountain he needed to summit in his second attempt to climb all 14 peaks without oxygen.
International Response
Nepal’s government expressed deep shock over the incident and confirmed it is coordinating with Pakistani authorities through the Nepal Embassy in Islamabad to facilitate the “swift and safe rescue” of all affected mountaineers.
Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Amjad Hussain Advocate directed all relevant departments to remain on high alert and expedite the search and rescue operation in coordination with the Pakistan Army.
Alpine Club of Pakistan President Major General Irfan Arshad confirmed the club remains in constant contact with government authorities to mobilise all available resources.
China’s government said it was “urgently verifying the situation and gathering information” and expressed willingness to offer help based on Pakistan’s requirements.
Latest Status (August 1, 2026)
Search and rescue operations resumed on Saturday morning for the seven missing climbers. Rescue teams have identified the presence of climbers at an altitude of 6,000 metres through drone footage, but their identities and condition remain unknown.
Rescuers have urged the public not to speculate or declare anyone dead until recovery teams have physically reached those located on the mountain and officially confirmed their status.
The global mountaineering community remains on edge as the desperate search continues against the clock, with weather windows narrow and the risks of further avalanches ever-present.
This is a developing story. Updates will follow as new information becomes available.
