Candlelight Vigil in Islamabad Honors 10 Climbers Lost on Broad Peak After Devastating Avalanche

Mountaineers, diplomats and members of civil society gathered on the lawns of a sports complex in Islamabad Tuesday evening for a candlelight vigil to honor the 10 climbers who died after a massive avalanche struck Broad Peak on July 30. Rain fell as mourners shielded flickering candles and offered prayers for those who never returned from one of the world’s highest mountains.

Nepalese Ambassador to Pakistan Rita Dhital, center, delivers her speech during a candlelight vigil in memory of 10 climbers who lost their lives on Broad Peak, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)(AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

The vigil followed a search-and-recovery operation that recovered the remains of eight climbers; two bodies have not yet been found. Among the dead was well-known British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja. Nepal lost six climbers in the disaster, which struck an international expedition on Broad Peak, an 8,051-meter (26,414-foot) peak in the Karakoram range near K2.

Nepalese Ambassador to Pakistan Rita Dhital, left, and others place flowers next to pictures of climbers who lost their lives on Broad Peak, during a candlelight vigil in their memory, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)(AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Nepal's ambassador to Pakistan, Rita Dhital, attended the ceremony and paid tribute as candles were lit in memory of the climbers. She recalled meeting Purja at her Islamabad home before the expedition and quoted him saying, "Giving up is not in my blood." Dhital thanked Pakistani climbers and rescuers who braved dangerous weather to search for the missing and recover bodies, and she specifically praised Sirbaz Khan, who led the recovery team.

People attend a candlelight vigil in memory of 10 climbers who lost their lives on Broad Peak, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)(AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Sirbaz Khan told The Associated Press that he and his team had set out hoping to find survivors. "I had hoped that I would hug them after finding them alive," he said. Instead, rescuers found climbers buried beneath the avalanche and used shovels to dig them out. Khan described the emotional toll of seeing fellow mountaineers dead, and the physical challenge of bringing the bodies down the mountain using ropes and improvised stretchers.

Participant's shadows visible over an poster with the pictures of 10 climbers who lost their lives on Broad Peak during a candlelight vigil in their memory, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)(AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Irfan Arshad Khan, president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan (and not related to Sirbaz Khan), said the remains of seven climbers — including all six Nepalese victims — had been repatriated to families. He also said that bad weather repeatedly prevented helicopters from reaching the accident site, forcing rescuers to carry out much of the search and recovery on foot; eight bodies were eventually brought to locations suitable for airlifting.

The international expedition included climbers from Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, China, Britain and the United States. Mountaineering accidents are sadly common in northern Pakistan, which is home to many of the world’s highest and most dangerous peaks.

Community Response: At the vigil, attendees spoke of solidarity and the shared risks of high-altitude climbing. Organizers and diplomats emphasized support for the grieving families and praised the courage of rescuers who worked in hazardous conditions.

Broad Peak, at 8,051 meters, ranks as the world’s 12th-highest mountain and sits close to K2 in the Karakoram range. The scale of the avalanche and the extreme weather that followed complicated rescue and recovery operations.