The avalanche struck on Thursday, cutting off contact with the international expedition led by Purja, a 43-year-old British-Nepali climber, on Broad Peak."The ground rescue team has reached Nims Dai (Purja) at approximately 5,700m on Broad Peak -- a mountain he loved, and a mountain that has now taken him from us," the club posted on social media.The club's general secretary Ayaz Shigri said a ground rescue team was transporting four bodies -- including those of Purja, two other Nepali nationals and a Chinese citizen -- down from the mountain. "Rescuers have also confirmed the presence of one additional body at a significantly higher elevation," he said in a statement."Due to the extremely hazardous terrain and prevailing conditions, it is unlikely that a recovery attempt will be made at this stage," he added.
The avalanche struck on Thursday, cutting off contact with the international expedition led by Purja, a 43-year-old British-Nepali climber, on Broad Peak © AMELIE HERENSTEIN / AFP
Purja's expedition company confirmed on Saturday that no team members had survived.Regional authorities said the remains of three climbers -- an Omani woman, a Nepali man and an American woman -- had been recovered and flown to the city of Skardu on Friday. The avalanche has sparked an outpouring of shock in the mountaineering community, especially in Nepal, and leaders including Britain's Prince William have expressed condolences to the families of the climbers.'Unthinkable loss'Purja, who served with Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas before joining the Special Boat Squadron of the Royal Marines, broke multiple climbing records since becoming a full-time mountaineer and tour guide.
