Nepal: Renowned Nepali climber Nirmal Purja, widely recognized as one of the world’s most fearless mountaineers, has died following a fatal avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan. The tragedy claimed the lives of Purja and several other climbers during their high-altitude expedition.
Purja was on a mission to make history as the first person to scale all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks twice without supplemental oxygen. His death was confirmed by his expedition agency, Elite Exped.
Former British Tier 1 SBS operator Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja, a renowned mountaineer who summitted many of the highest peaks on Earth, is missing after an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan.
The avalanche left 10 climbers missing, while four bodies have been recovered. pic.twitter.com/WNK3Uv0jtJ
— Special Ops Magazine (@specialopsmag) July 31, 2026
According to reports, Purja originally traveled to Pakistan-administered Kashmir to climb Gasherbrum II (G2). However, seeing an opportunity to set a new benchmark at the 8,051-meter-high Broad Peak, he shifted his focus to attempt the record-breaking ascent. The expedition turned tragic on July 30 when a massive avalanche struck the climbing team on the mountain.
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah expressed grief over the loss of Nirmal Purja and the other mountaineers, stating that Purja’s courage and legacy would continue to inspire future generations.
Purja achieved global fame in 2019 through his renowned ‘Project Possible’, where he scaled all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in a record-breaking period of just over six months. In 2018, he had also set a historic record by summiting Mount Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu in merely five days.
Beyond his record-setting expeditions, Purja was widely respected for his involvement in high-altitude rescue missions and his dedication to assisting trapped climbers on extreme peaks.
