ISLAMABAD (AP) — Renowned British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja and all the other nine climbers swept away by an avalanche in Pakistan have died, and search teams were trying to recover their bodies, Purja’s expedition company said Saturday.“The world has lost one of mountaineering’s greatest climbers,” the company, Elite Exped, said.Karrar Haidri, the vice president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, confirmed the news.“This is heartbreaking news for all of us, and we extend our condolences to the families and friends of the climbers,” Haidri said.The 10-member expedition was swept away by an avalanche Thursday on Pakistan’s Broad Peak.Rescuers found four bodies and recovered three of them Friday in harsh weather that hampered flights by search and rescue helicopters. Rescuers backed by military helicopters had resumed a search earlier on Saturday for the others.
A local police official, Tahir Khan, said the remains of Omani climber Nathira Ahmed were being flown to the capital, Islamabad, while the bodies of American climber Mallory Geis and Nepalese climber Bahadur Gurung remained at a hospital in Skardu, the main city in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan region.The team lost contact with their base camp Thursday after the avalanche struck Broad Peak as they attempted to scale the mountain.
