Omani legend, US novice: Pakistan recovers bodies from Broad Peak

An avalanche on Broad Peak, Pakistan's 12th-highest mountain at 8,051 metres, claimed multiple lives on Thursday afternoon. Pakistani authorities recovered four bodies during rescue operations, though harsh weather conditions significantly impeded helicopter search and rescue efforts. Three of the deceased were identified as Pur Bahadur Gurung, a Nepalese climber; Sarah Mallory Geis, an American mountaineer; and Nadhira Al Harthy from Oman. The fourth body remained unidentified at the time of reporting.

The expedition included climbers from multiple nations: five Nepali mountaineers, representatives from Oman and the United States, a Pakistani guide, a Chinese climber, and one additional foreign participant. The group was led by Nirmal Purja, a Nepal-born former British Army soldier renowned for summiting all 14 of the world's highest peaks in 189 days during 2019, an achievement documented in the Netflix film "14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible."

Al Harthy held a master's degree in geography and previously directed Oman's Citizenship Department at the Ministry of Education. She achieved distinction as the first Omani woman to reach Mount Everest's summit in 2019 and subsequently became the first Omani to climb K2. Gurung, known locally as Yukta, had summited Everest ten times—more than any other member of his community—and had successfully climbed twelve peaks exceeding 8,000 metres. He also held a record for summiting K2 within 24 hours and regularly participated in mountain rescue operations.

Geis, 39, from San Antonio, was attempting her first 8,000-metre peak in Pakistan. Earlier in the year, she had announced on social media that she was closing her Pilates studio to pursue mountaineering. Six climbers remain missing following the avalanche, with search operations continuing in the remote and challenging terrain. Officials noted that Broad Peak ranks among Pakistan's most difficult climbing objectives.