Nims Dai Among 10 Climbers Missing on Broad Peak in Pakistan After Avalanche

The international mountaineering community is anxiously awaiting news from Broad Peak in Pakistan after an avalanche struck a climbing team led by renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal “Nims Dai” Purja. Ten climbers are currently reported missing or out of communication following the incident on the 8,047-meter Broad Peak in the Karakoram range.

The Alpine Club of Pakistan has confirmed that the team lost contact after the avalanche. Authorities and rescue officials are working to organize a search-and-rescue operation, including efforts to mobilize helicopters and other resources, although weather and mountain conditions remain major challenges.

Nims Dai, one of the most recognizable names in modern high-altitude mountaineering, was leading the international expedition. The reported team includes five Nepali climbers ( Pur Bdr Burung, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa), Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi from Hunza, Omani climber Nathira, American climber Mallory Geis, a Chinese climber identified as Wang, and another foreign climber. At present, the climbers are considered missing. Rescue authorities are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating efforts to determine their location and assess whether a safe rescue operation can be carried out.

Who Is Nims Dai?

Nirmal Purja, widely known as Nims Dai or Nimsdai, is a Nepal-born British mountaineer whose extraordinary career has changed the perception of speed and endurance in high-altitude climbing.

Born in Nepal’s Dhaulagiri region and raised in Chitwan, Purja initially had no intention of becoming one of the world’s most famous mountaineers. His first major career was in the British military. He joined the Brigade of Gurkhas in 2003 and later became the first Gurkha to join the United Kingdom’s elite Special Boat Service, where he served for years.

His transition from soldier to professional mountaineer was remarkably fast. His interest in serious climbing developed after a 2012 Everest Base Camp trek, followed by his ascent of Lobuche East. What began as a new passion soon became an extraordinary international mountaineering career.

In 2019, Purja launched what became known as Project Possible, an ambitious attempt to climb all fourteen mountains higher than 8,000 meters in a period that seemed almost impossible at the time.

He did not merely complete the challenge. He completed it in six months and six days, or 189 days, between April and October 2019. The achievement transformed him into a global mountaineering icon and later became the subject of the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.

Nims Dai’s Major Record-Breaking Achievements

Nims Dai’s reputation comes from a long list of extraordinary climbs rather than one single achievement.

1. All 14 Eight-Thousanders in 189 Days

His most famous achievement came in 2019 when he climbed all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in 189 days.

Before his project, the fastest completion of the fourteen peaks had taken almost eight years. Purja initially targeted seven months but finished even faster, completing the challenge in six months and six days. The achievement became one of the most remarkable speed records in Himalayan mountaineering.

2. Fastest Everest–Lhotse Traverse

Purja also established an extraordinary speed record between the summits of Mount Everest and Lhotse.

His official profile records the Everest-to-Lhotse summit transition at approximately 10 hours and 15 minutes, demonstrating the exceptional speed that became a defining part of his climbing style.

3. Everest, Lhotse and Makalu in 48 Hours

One of the most spectacular episodes of Project Possible was his rapid completion of Everest, Lhotse and Makalu in approximately 48 hours.

Climbing even one 8,000-meter mountain demands enormous physical and mental endurance. Linking three of the world’s highest peaks within such a short period demonstrated the unusual combination of speed, acclimatization and logistical planning behind Purja’s approach.

4. First Winter Ascent of K2 by a Nepali Team

Nims Dai also played a central role in one of Nepal’s greatest modern mountaineering achievements: the first winter ascent of K2 in January 2021.

Purja led the all-Nepali team that reached the summit of K2 during winter, a feat long regarded as one of the final major challenges in Himalayan mountaineering. The achievement added another historic chapter to Nepal’s mountaineering legacy.

5. Record Speed Across the Highest Mountains

During Project Possible, Purja also established a series of speed records involving combinations of the world’s highest peaks. His rapid ascents of Everest, K2, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse and Makalu became part of the broader record-breaking campaign that made him internationally famous.

His approach was different from traditional expedition styles. Instead of spending months on a single mountain, Purja developed a fast-moving system involving careful logistics, acclimatization strategies, weather windows and a highly experienced climbing team.

Nims Dai and the Karakoram

The current Broad Peak expedition brings Purja back to the Karakoram, one of the world’s most challenging mountain environments. Broad Peak rises to 8,047 meters and is the world’s 12th-highest mountain. It lies in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, close to K2 and within the spectacular Karakoram landscape.

Despite being lower than Everest and K2, Broad Peak should never be considered an easy 8,000-meter mountain. The altitude, rapidly changing weather, steep terrain, avalanche danger, crevasses and long summit ridge can make every stage of the climb hazardous.

The current tragedy highlights that reality. According to reports, the avalanche struck the expedition while the team was on Broad Peak, after which communication was lost. The Alpine Club of Pakistan said it was coordinating with government authorities to facilitate search-and-rescue efforts. Helicopter deployment and other rescue resources are being considered, subject to weather and operational conditions.

Why the Broad Peak Incident Is So Serious

At elevations above 8,000 meters, climbers operate in what mountaineers commonly call the death zone. The human body cannot remain indefinitely at such altitude because oxygen availability is dramatically reduced.

An avalanche adds another level of danger. Unlike an individual fall, an avalanche can move huge quantities of snow and ice in seconds. It can bury climbers, damage fixed ropes, destroy equipment and make access extremely difficult for rescuers.

Broad Peak’s remote location makes the situation even more challenging. Any rescue attempt must take into account weather, visibility, helicopter operating conditions, altitude and the possibility of additional avalanches. For the families of the climbers and the international climbing community, the uncertainty is particularly difficult.

An International Team on a Himalayan Giant

The reported expedition reflects the increasingly international nature of modern high-altitude mountaineering. The team includes climbers from Nepal, Pakistan, Oman, the United States, China and another foreign country. Nims Dai’s presence as expedition leader has drawn worldwide attention because of his extraordinary history on 8,000-meter peaks. His previous experience includes some of the world’s most dangerous mountains and difficult high-altitude rescue situations.

But experience does not remove the risks of the Karakoram. Mountains remain unpredictable, and Broad Peak is now demonstrating that even the most experienced climbers can face circumstances beyond human control.

From Gurkha Soldier to Global Mountaineering Icon

One of the most remarkable aspects of Purja’s story is that mountaineering was not his original profession. His early ambition was to become a Gurkha soldier. He joined the British Gurkhas at 18 and later became the first Gurkha to serve with the UK’s Special Boat Service. His military background helped develop the discipline, physical conditioning and decision-making skills that later became important in his climbing career.

He eventually left the military to pursue Project Possible. That decision appeared extremely risky at the time. Yet within months, his name became synonymous with high-speed Himalayan climbing. His story was later brought to a worldwide audience through the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, which introduced his remarkable 2019 campaign to millions of viewers.

Broad Peak Was Not Supposed to Be the End of the Story

The current expedition is especially significant because Purja has continued to push the limits of high-altitude climbing even after completing the 14 peaks.

His recent Karakoram activities have again placed him among the world’s highest mountains. Reports indicate that Broad Peak became part of his current climbing plans after his Gasherbrum II ascent earlier in July. The broader ambition associated with this phase of his climbing career is equally extraordinary: completing a second ascent of all fourteen 8,000-meter mountains without supplemental oxygen. If completed, such an achievement would represent another major milestone in high-altitude mountaineering. But right now, records and future ambitions have been pushed into the background. The immediate priority is the safety of Nims Dai and the other nine climbers.

The Mountaineering World Waits for News

For Nepal, the situation carries a particularly emotional weight. Nims Dai is not simply a record holder. He has become one of the most recognizable representatives of Nepal’s mountaineering culture on the international stage. His achievements have repeatedly demonstrated the strength, determination and technical ability of Nepali climbers.

The reported disappearance of a team led by him on Broad Peak has therefore attracted widespread attention in Nepal and across the global climbing community. Yet it is important to remember that the story remains unfinished.

The climbers are currently reported missing after losing communication following the avalanche. Rescue authorities are attempting to establish their location and determine the safest possible response. No confirmed report of fatalities had been issued in the initial reports available on July 31, 2026.

The mountain is silent, communications remain uncertain, and the Karakoram weather can change within minutes. For now, climbers, families and supporters around the world are waiting for one piece of news above everything else: that Nims Dai and all the members of his team are found safe.

Broad Peak has witnessed triumphs, tragedies and some of mountaineering’s most unforgettable moments. Today, the mountain has once again reminded the world that no matter how many records a climber has broken, the high Himalaya and Karakoram always command respect. The mountaineering community now waits with hope for the rescue teams to reach the missing climbers and bring them safely home.

Source: BBC News