Rescue teams on Broad Peak in Pakistan are carrying out a second day of search operations following a deadly avalanche on the world’s 12th-highest summit. The multinational expedition, led by renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, had 10 members, with authorities confirming three fatalities so far.
Search Operations Expand on Broad Peak
Rescue operations entered their second day on Broad Peak, located on the border between Pakistan and China, according to reporting by the BBC. The 8,047-metre (26,400ft) peak in the Karakoram range saw an avalanche strike a 10-person multinational expedition led by Nirmal Purja on Thursday.
The search effort expanded as local Pakistani climbers volunteered alongside mountaineers from Nepal who halted their expeditions on nearby K2. Bad weather has been hampering the search, though military helicopters remain on standby to assist, weather permitting. On Friday, the Alpine Club of Pakistan reported that several climbers had been spotted by drones, but their condition remained unknown at the time.
Confirmed Casualties and Missing Climbers
Pakistani officials confirmed that the bodies of three climbers have been recovered from the mountain. They were identified as American Mallory Geis, Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy from Oman, and Pur Bahadur Gurung from Nepal. Among the seven remaining missing members from the 10-person expedition is expedition leader Nirmal Purja.
Mallory Geis posted on social media in June that she was ready for her first big kid climbing expedition in Pakistan. Pur Bahadur Gurung, also known as Yukta, was certified by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations and was close to completing the 14-peaks challenge. Another member of the group is Kili Pemba Sherpa Kili, who has scaled Everest 15 times and was part of a historic K2 winter expedition in 2021 alongside Purja.
The Dangers of Broad Peak
Broad Peak is regarded as one of the more challenging mountains for mountaineers. Following its first successful ascent by an Austrian expedition in 1957, many climbers have reached the summit, but dozens have lost their lives on its slopes. One of the mountain’s deadliest years was recorded in 2013, when at least six fatalities occurred.
Ayaz Shigri, secretary general of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, told the BBC that rescuers are currently concerned about the risk of further avalanches in the area.
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