Nirmal Purja, the renowned mountaineer without impossibles, dies in an avalanche
The British-Nepalese mountaineer has lost his life in an avalanche in Pakistan with nine other people
BarcelonaSorrow in the world of mountaineering due to the death of the renowned mountaineer Nirmal "Nimsdai" Purja, 43 years old. The British-Nepalese hiker was part of an expedition to Broad Peak — one of the highest mountains in the world — when on Thursday the group was surprised by an avalanche. His body was found this Sunday. To date, the deaths of nine out of ten missing climbers have been confirmed. Among the fatalities is also Nadhira Alharthy, the first Omani woman to reach the summit of Everest.
Elite Exped, a company of which Purja was one of the owners, has lamented the tragic news on social media. "The world has lost one of the greatest mountain climbers; a leader who inspired millions through his courage, humility, and firm conviction that human potential is far beyond what we often imagine. Beyond his extraordinary achievements, he wanted to show the world that anything was possible when you dared to dream big, believed in yourself, and refused to accept limitations," they expressed in a heartfelt statement.
Together with Purja and Alharthy, the other victims whose names have become known are the Nepalis Pimapur Bahadur Gurung, Gyalu Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Kili Pema Sherpa, and Wang Zhong. According to Mingma Gyabu Sherpa, director of Elite Exped, Purja was leading a team of three people who were preparing to reach the summit of Broad Peak when the avalanche surprised them on Thursday. Alharthy was part of an independent expedition, with two other mountaineers.
In addition, there were two other teams. One formed by American mountaineer Mallory Geis and Pakistani Sohail Sakhi —the death of both has not yet been confirmed— and another with Chinese climber Wang Zhong and a Nepali guide Kili Pema Sherpa. The death of Nepali Nawang Thindu Sherpa has also not been confirmed, to date.
A greatly beloved figure in the world of mountaineering
Born in Nepal, Purja has been a very influential figure in mountaineering. He rose to fame after climbing 14 8,000-meter peaks in a record time —just over six months— in 2019. A feat that Netflix decided to bring to the screens with a documentary released in 2021, 14 Peaks: No Limits. In 2024, the mountaineer repeated the challenge without supplemental oxygen.
Last Monday, Purja explained on his social media that the initial idea of his expedition was only to climb G2 mountain, but before flying to Pakistan he realized that if he also climbed Broad Peak, he would only have one summit left —Cho Oyu— to be the first person to climb the 14 eight-thousanders twice without oxygen. "This was not planned, but opportunities don't call, they whisper to those who are already working in silence", he reflected. "Broad Peak, I ask for nothing more than a safe passage up and down", he added.
During his first ascent of Everest, Purja performed an altruistic act after single-handedly rescuing another injured climber while descending in the so-called death zone —above 8,000 meters—. This led the British-Nepalese mountaineer to decide to climb with supplementary oxygen from the highest camps to ensure he could always help others. Additionally, the alpinist also created the Nimsdai Foundation. Precisely, on Everest, he would achieve one of his first mountain records after summiting Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu in just five days.
Purja also served in the British special forces for ten years and was a Gurkha —Nepalese soldiers in the British army— for six years. Furthermore, he also had a dark chapter in his life, as he was accused of sexual abuse by two female climbers. The Finnish Lotta Hintsa and the American April Leonardo reported the events to The New York Times in 2024. These are facts that Purja, through his lawyers, denied.
His body was located in an "extremely difficult and dangerous" area and condolences were quick to arrive. Balendra Shah, the Prime Minister of Nepal, was shocked by the tragic news. "Only the physical journey of all the deceased climbers, including Nirmal Purja, has stopped, but the story of his courage, dedication, and contribution will always remain alive and as an inspiration".
Located in the Karakoram mountain range (Pakistan), near the border with China, Broad Peak is the twelfth highest mountain in the world. Known locally as Falchan Kangri, its summit rises 8,047 meters above sea level.