The bodies of renowned climber Nirmal Purja and three members of his expedition team have been recovered and transported to the base camp on Broad Peak, one of the world’s highest mountains, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan. The climbers were killed in an avalanche that struck on July 30, cutting off contact with the 10-member international team. Purja, a 43-year-old British-Nepali mountaineer, led the expedition.

In a statement posted on social media, the Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed the recovery of Purja’s body along with those of Zhong Wang, Nima Sherpa, and Kilu Sherpa, who were also part of the team. Wang was a Chinese mountaineer, while Nima Sherpa and Kilu Sherpa were fellow Nepali climbers. The club described the operation as “exceptionally challenging and technically demanding.”

Despite this development, three other climbers from the expedition remain missing. The club said it is committed to continuing search efforts when conditions permit so that the remaining team members may be located and returned to their families.

Earlier, the remains of three other expedition members — an American woman, an Omani woman, and a Nepali man — were evacuated from the mountain to the northern Pakistani city of Skardu. The loss has been mourned by the mountaineering community, with Tul Singh Gurung, President of Nepal’s National Mountain Guide Association, remarking that the incident represents the loss of a generation of accomplished climbers.

The Alpine Club of Pakistan indicated that the recovered bodies will be returned to their families, hoping the recovery process will provide some measure of closure. “We hope this recovery brings them a measure of peace and the opportunity to lay their loved ones to rest with the dignity they deserve,” the club stated.

The search and recovery operation on Broad Peak remains dependent on weather and safety conditions, with officials emphasizing ongoing efforts to locate the remaining missing members of the expedition.