Avalanche on Broad Peak Kills Nirmal “Nims” Purja and Six Prominent Nepali Guides

Six highly respected Nepali mountain guides, including British-Nepali climber Nirmal “Nims” Purja, were killed when an avalanche struck an international expedition on Pakistan’s Broad Peak last week. The group had collectively achieved dozens of high-altitude firsts and helped raise the global profile of Nepali guides.

The Incident

Purja, 43, who rose to international prominence after climbing the world’s 14 highest peaks—each above 8,000 metres—in just over six months, was the leading figure of the 10-member team on Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain, when the avalanche struck. The disaster has left Nepal’s climbing community reeling.

Nepal is mourning the loss of six of its mountaineering greats [Getty Images]

The Guides Lost

Among the six guides killed were:

• Nirmal “Nims” Purja — Celebrated for completing the 14 eight-thousanders in record time and for high-profile expeditions documented in film.
• Kili Pemba Sherpa, 46 — A recent Grand Slam finisher who was part of the Nepali team that completed the first winter ascent of K2 in January 2021.
• Pur Bahadur Gurung, 37 — An IFMGA-certified guide who had summited 12 of the 14 highest peaks and took part in the 2024 discovery of a century-old boot on Everest thought to be linked to Andrew Irvine.
• Gyaljen Sherpa — Known for summiting Kanchenjunga three times in one season, a feat colleagues say merits wider recognition.
• Nima Sherpa, 36 — A prolific climber who achieved multiple eight-thousander summits in recent seasons.
• Nawang Thindu Sherpa — A talented guide in his 20s and part of Nepal’s rising generation of mountaineers.

“Nims of course was iconic and undisputedly amongst the best of his generation,” said Ben Ayers, a longtime Everest reporter for Outside Magazine.

Why Pakistan’s Karakoram Presents Greater Risks

Expeditions in Pakistan’s Karakoram are more remote and logistically demanding than many routes in Nepal’s Himalayas. Teams must often fix their own ropes, cut steps into ice and carry out more self-sufficient operations. Rescue options are limited: there are fewer helicopter landing zones and longer flight times to reach base camps and high camps.

The towering peaks in Pakistan are far more remote than those in Nepal [Getty Images]

“In the Pakistan mountains, getting the helicopters to base camp already takes a lot more effort, let alone flying them above high camps,” said Nima Rinji Sherpa, a record-setting young climber. That remoteness increases both the operational challenge and the exposure to objective hazards such as avalanches and icefall.

Debate Over Commercialisation, Risk and Safety

Purja’s success inspired many climbers and guides by showing that ambitious records were achievable—and also helped bring Pakistan into the orbit of international mountaineering. Observers say that while this broadened access and recognition for Nepali guides, it also intensified commercial pressure and risk-taking on high-altitude routes.

Some experts predict the Broad Peak tragedy will prompt short-term scrutiny of safety practices, but history suggests such incidents rarely produce lasting structural change in elite mountaineering. As mountaineer and writer Alan Arnette noted, previous catastrophes have led to grief and debate but limited systemic reform.

Legacy And Reflection

Nepal mourns the loss of six leaders from its climbing community. Their skill, experience and service—guiding clients through some of the world’s toughest mountains—elevated the global reputation of Nepali guides. As the community reflects, many expect the drive for records and high-profile climbs to continue, even as questions about safety, logistics and commercialisation remain urgent.