Renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja has died in an avalanche during an expedition in Pakistan, according to reports that said 10 climbers were swept away on the world’s 12th-highest peak. Pakistani rescue teams recovered three bodies as the search continued after the deadly accident.
Purja was widely known in the climbing world for setting a record for the fastest ascent of the planet’s 14 highest mountains. His death, alongside nine other climbers, marks a major loss for the international mountaineering community and highlights the dangers faced on high-altitude expeditions.
The incident took place on a major peak in Pakistan’s northern mountain region, an area that draws climbers from around the world. Avalanches remain one of the most serious risks in the Himalayas and Karakoram, where rapidly changing weather and unstable snow conditions can turn an expedition deadly within moments.
Recovery efforts were underway after the avalanche, with Pakistani rescuers working in difficult terrain. The disaster has focused attention on the hazards of elite climbing expeditions in Pakistan and the sudden natural threats that can strike even the most experienced teams.
