From Netflix star Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja to Pakistan’s top guide: The 10 lives lost on Broad Peak

The company also confirmed the deaths of veteran Nepalese guides Pur Bahadur Gurung, popularly known as “Yukta”, and Nima Sherpa.

“Today, we mourn not only Nims, but every life lost in this tragedy including his trusted climbing partners and guides, Pur Bahadur Gurung (Yukta) and Nima Sherpa. Our deepest thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences are with their families, friends and loved ones. No words can ease the pain of this unimaginable loss, and we ask that everyone respects their privacy as they grieve.”

All 10 climbers confirmed dead

Elite Exped said it had received confirmation that every member of the expedition had died after Thursday’s avalanche.

According to Reuters, the expedition comprised six Nepalese climbers and one each from Pakistan, Oman, the United States and China. The team was attempting to summit Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain, when it was struck by an avalanche around midday on Thursday.

Pakistani authorities had earlier recovered the bodies of Omani climber Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, American climber Mallory Geis and Nepalese guide Pur Bahadur Gurung. With Elite Exped’s latest announcement, there are no longer any survivors from the expedition.

Heavy snowfall raised avalanche fears

The tragedy came after experienced climbers had already begun abandoning Broad Peak because of deteriorating conditions.

According to National Geographic, veteran Hungarian climber David Klein and American climber Ian Overton decided to leave the mountain after heavy snowfall beginning around July 22 dramatically increased avalanche danger. Klein said fresh snow on steep Himalayan slopes requires several days of stable weather either to settle or naturally slide away before it becomes safe for summit attempts. By July 25, most expeditions had already left the mountain, although Purja’s Elite Exped team remained.

At around 9 am local time on Thursday, an avalanche swept through the mountain’s main west-facing gully, carrying all ten climbers hundreds of metres downhill.

GPS tracker briefly raised hopes

Purja’s Garmin tracking device continued transmitting for several hours after the avalanche, briefly raising hopes that he might have survived.

According to National Geographic, the device showed the team climbing steadily from Camp 2 before suddenly dropping more than 2,000 feet within about 30 minutes shortly before 9 am. Elite Exped co-founder Mingma Gyabu Sherpa initially said Purja’s GPS location appeared to be moving, giving rescuers hope.

However, climbing experts later cautioned that GPS devices buried beneath snow or trapped in steep terrain can continue transmitting unreliable positions, making apparent movement difficult to interpret.

Who were the climbers?

Nirmal “Nims” Purja (Nepal/UK) — Confirmed dead

Forty-three-year-old Nirmal Purja was one of the world’s best-known mountaineers.

Nirmal Purja, one of the team members of the all-Nepalese mountaineering team that became the first to scale Mount K2 in winter, gestures as the team arrives at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, January 26, 2021. (AP File)

According to the Associated Press, he was a former British Army Gurkha and Special Forces soldier who had gained international fame after climbing all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres in a record 189 days in 2019, a feat chronicled in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. Although the record was later broken, Purja remains among the sport’s biggest names.

Days before the expedition, Purja had written on social media that Broad Peak would be followed by Cho Oyu as part of his attempt to become the first climber to complete all 14 eight-thousanders twice.

“I take zero mountains for granted. Not one,” he wrote, according to CNN.

Sohail Sakhi (Pakistan) — Confirmed dead

Pakistani guide Sohail Sakhi was regarded as one of the country’s leading high-altitude climbers.

According to ExplorersWeb and expedition operator Moving Mountains, Sakhi was a guide, geographer and high-altitude photographer who had climbed all five of Pakistan’s 8,000-metre peaks. Broad Peak was expected to be his final expedition above 8,000 metres.

GB’s Sohail Sakhi Missing After Broad Peak Accident

Sohail Sakhi, a proud son of Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan, is among the 10 climbers reported missing following the Broad Peak accident during an international mountaineering expedition.

The nation is praying for his safety and… pic.twitter.com/0jdqkClHkS

— ShabbirMir Shina (@ShabbirMir) August 1, 2026

He had also become an outspoken advocate for Pakistani climbing guides, arguing they deserved greater recognition and better pay as foreign expedition companies increasingly dominated commercial Himalayan climbing.

The ACP says Sakhi’s Garmin tracker has been recovered from the avalanche debris.

Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy (Oman) — Confirmed dead

Nadhira Al Harthy became the first Omani woman to summit Mount Everest in 2019.

According to Outside magazine, she later climbed K2, Nanga Parbat, Manaslu and Ama Dablam, becoming one of the Arab world’s most accomplished female mountaineers.

Three years ago, when #TheArabianStories sat down with Nadhira Al Harthy, she spoke with quiet conviction about the dream that defined her life.

“This is what I wanted to do all my life.”

Those weren’t just words. They became the story of her life.

Nadhira chased every summit… pic.twitter.com/oH8UDOCTrk

— The Arabian Stories (@arabian_stories) July 31, 2026

Her death has prompted tributes across Oman and the wider Gulf region.

Mallory Geis (United States) — Confirmed dead

Thirty-nine-year-old Mallory Geis was a San Antonio-based wellness entrepreneur attempting her first 8,000-metre mountain in Pakistan.

🇺🇸 Mallory Geis Among the Victims of the Broad Peak Avalanche

San Antonio resident Mallory Geis, 39, has been identified as one of the four climbers who tragically lost their lives in the devastating avalanche on Broad Peak (8,047 m) in northern Pakistan.

A passionate… pic.twitter.com/ShSgjk8VnV

— George Oketch Korigah (@georgeoketch12) August 1, 2026

According to AP and Moving Mountains, she had earlier this year shut down her Pilates studio to pursue mountaineering full-time, describing it as “a giant leap of faith into the unknown.” She had previously climbed several 6,000-metre peaks in Nepal, including one expedition guided by Sohail Sakhi.

Pur Bahadur Gurung “Yukta” (Nepal) — Confirmed dead

Pur Bahadur Gurung, known as “Yukta”, was a veteran Nepalese high-altitude guide with Elite Exped.

We are incredibly saddened to learn about the passing of Pur Bahadur ‘Yukta’ Gurung, one of the key members of the summit team in EVEREST: THE OTHER SIDE. Yukta’s support and guidance on Everest was deeply valued and we honor his contribution to the expedition. Our condolences… pic.twitter.com/Srk05N6evT

— George Oketch Korigah (@georgeoketch12) August 1, 2026

According to National Geographic, he worked on some of the world’s highest peaks and was part of the team that supported American skier Jim Morrison’s first ski descent of Everest’s Hornbein Couloir via the mountain’s north face last year.

Wang Zhong (China) — Confirmed dead

Chinese climber Wang Zhong was close to completing one of mountaineering’s most prestigious milestones.

According to Everest Chronicle, Broad Peak was one of only three remaining 8,000-metre peaks he needed to summit all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres.

China’s Foreign Ministry said it was verifying the situation and stood ready to assist Pakistan if required.

Kili “Kilu” Pemba Sherpa (Nepal) — Confirmed dead

Kili Pemba Sherpa was among Nepal’s most accomplished climbing guides.

In Memory of Kili Pemba Sherpa (“Kilu”) 🕊

The high-altitude mountaineering community mourns the immense loss of Kili Pemba Sherpa—known affectionately as “Kilu”—a towering figure in Himalayan climbing whose quiet humility matched his superhuman accomplishments.

Hailing from… pic.twitter.com/ElkTo5d4Mt

— George Oketch Korigah (@georgeoketch12) August 1, 2026

According to Everest Chronicle, he completed his own quest to summit all 14 eight-thousanders just weeks ago after climbing Nanga Parbat. He has summited Mount Everest 15 times, K2 twice, and participated in the historic first winter ascent of K2 in 2021 alongside Purja.

He also helped recover the body of Indian climber Goutam Ghosh from high on Mount Everest in 2017, one of the highest-altitude body recovery missions ever attempted.

Nima Sherpa (Nepal) — Confirmed dead

Nima Sherpa was part of Purja’s Elite Exped guiding team.

According to climbing publications cited in the source material, relatively little is publicly known about his career, reflecting the limited attention often given to working Sherpa guides despite their extensive experience on Himalayan expeditions.

Nawang Thindu Sherpa (Nepal) — Confirmed dead

Nawang Thindu Sherpa was working as a guide for Seven Summit Treks during the expedition.

The expedition company had earlier confirmed him among those missing, though few details of his previous climbing record had been made public.

Gyalu Sherpa (Nepal) — Confirmed dead

Gyalu Sherpa, from Nepal’s Okhaldhunga district, was also guiding the expedition for Seven Summit Treks.

His outfitter earlier confirmed he remained missing following the avalanche.

(With inputs from agencies)