Pakistani rescuers recovered three bodies on Friday after an avalanche hit Broad Peak during a climbing expedition, officials said.The Gilgit-Baltistan government identified the recovered climbers as Nepalese mountaineer Pur Bahadur Gurung, Omani climber Nathira Ahmed and American climber Mallory Geis. Their bodies were taken to a hospital.Officials earlier said search teams had located the remains of four climbers, but the fourth person has not yet been identified.Bad weather slows rescue effortsThe search operation has been affected by severe weather conditions, which have limited helicopter flights.Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Amjad Hussain said rescue efforts would continue, with teams searching until Friday evening and operations expected to resume on Saturday.The climbers lost contact with their base camp after an avalanche struck Broad Peak while they were attempting to summit the mountain, according to Karrar Haidri, vice president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan.Army helicopters have been involved in the search and rescue operation.International climbing team affectedThe expedition included climbers from several countries, including five Nepali climbers, an Omani climber, an American climber, Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, a Chinese climber identified as Wang, and another foreign climber.China said it was working to confirm whether any Chinese nationals were among those missing.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing was ready to provide assistance to its citizens and support Pakistan’s rescue efforts.Broad Peak among world’s highest mountainsStanding at 8,047 metres (26,401 feet), Broad Peak is the world’s 12th-highest mountain and is located in Pakistan’s Karakoram range.The region attracts climbers from around the world but is known for challenging conditions, with frequent accidents caused by avalanches and rapidly changing weather.Expedition led by record-breaking climberThe expedition was led by renowned Nepal-born mountaineer Nirmal Purja, also known as Nims Dai, a former British Army soldier who climbed all 14 of the world’s highest peaks in a record 189 days in 2019.His achievement was featured in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.The expedition was organised by Pakistan-based travel company Moving Mountains, which had earlier wished the team a safe climb.For American climber Mallory Geis, 39, the Broad Peak expedition was her first attempt at an 8,000-metre peak in Pakistan. She had previously climbed in Nepal and was described by fellow climbers as a committed mountaineer who understood the risks of high-altitude climbing.