Nirmal Purja, a renowned Nepalese mountaineer and former British Army and Special Boat Service soldier, has died following an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan. The incident occurred on Thursday, August 1, while Purja was leading a group of 10 climbers on the world’s 12th highest mountain, which reaches an elevation of 26,400 feet.

Purja’s guiding company, Elite Exped, confirmed the mountaineer’s death in a social media announcement on Saturday. The avalanche also claimed the lives of at least three other climbers, including Omani mountaineer Nadhira Al Harthy, Nepali climber Pur Bahadur Gurung, known as Yukta, and American climber Sarah Mallory Geis, a travel photographer based in San Antonio. Authorities have said recovery efforts for the remaining six climbers in the party are ongoing.

Born in Nepal in 1983, Purja rose to international prominence for his record-breaking ascent of all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters, which he completed in six months and six days in 2019. This feat surpassed the previous record by more than seven years and was documented in the Netflix film “14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.” A former Gurkha soldier, Purja served 16 years in the British military, including a decade in special forces, before resigning in 2018 to focus on mountaineering. His efforts also included notable rescue missions, such as saving a climber stranded in the Everest “death zone” and assisting in the retrieval of the body of Michael Matthews, a British climber who disappeared on Everest in 1999.

Purja’s death has drawn tributes from fellow adventurers, including Bear Grylls, who described his spirit as “unstoppable.” Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah also expressed condolences, acknowledging Purja’s lasting impact on mountaineering and the courage he displayed throughout his career.

While celebrated for his climbing achievements, Purja’s reputation was complicated by allegations made in 2024 accusing him of unwelcome sexual advances toward women climbers, claims he denied.

At the time of the avalanche, Purja was pursuing a second project to summit all 14 peaks without supplemental oxygen, with Broad Peak being the penultimate mountain on this attempt. He is survived by his wife, Suchi Purja, and their daughter.

The search and rescue operations were temporarily suspended on Friday, during which time drone footage reportedly located the bodies of several climbers. Officials have yet to provide further details on the remaining missing climbers.

The tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers associated with high-altitude mountaineering, even for some of its most experienced practitioners.