The bodies of five more mountaineers who perished in the Broad Peak tragedy were airlifted to Skardu on Thursday, where a solemn reception ceremony was held in their memory. The event saw the participation of Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Speaker Imran Nadeem, civil and military officials, representatives of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, and local dignitaries, all paying their respects to the fallen climbers.
After the ceremony, the bodies were transferred to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) to complete the required legal formalities. Officials confirmed that each body was placed in a coffin draped with the national flag of their country before receiving an official farewell. Preparations are now underway to repatriate the deceased to their home nations.
In a significant development, the celebrated Nepali climber Nirmal Purja—known for his record-breaking fastest ascent of the world’s 14 highest peaks—and nine others lost their lives in an avalanche during their expedition on Broad Peak. The avalanche struck on July 30, severing communication with the 10-member international team led by the 43-year-old British-Nepali climber.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan announced that after a highly challenging and technically demanding recovery operation, the bodies of Nirmal Purja, Zhong Wang, Nima Sherpa, and Kilu Sherpa had been successfully retrieved and safely brought to Base Camp. Zhong Wang was a Chinese mountaineer, while Nima Sherpa and Kilu Sherpa were fellow Nepali climbers.
On Wednesday, a search team transported the bodies of Purja and three other team members to the mountain’s base camp. With the recent airlifting of five additional bodies, the total number recovered and brought to Skardu has now reached eight. However, the bodies of two climbers, including Pakistan’s Sohail Sakhi, remain unrecovered as search efforts continue.
