Elite Exped, the firm co-owned by Nirmal Purja, confirmed the news of his death in a statement posted on Instagram.
Updated on: Aug 1, 2026, 16:53:56 IST By HT News Desk Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Renowned Nepali-British climber Nirmal Purja died in an avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak, an expedition company co-owned by him said in a statement.
A government confirmation is still awaited.
Nirmal Purja during a news conference after climbing six mountains including Mt.
Everest in Kathmandu, Nepal May 28, 2019. (REUTERS) Purja was part of an expedition on Broad Peak when an avalanche hit the team on July 30, 2026.
Since the incident, there has been no contact with the climbers, according to Pakistani mountaineering authorities.
Nirmal Purja's company confirms death Elite Exped, the firm owned by Purja along with mountaineers Mingma David Sherpa, and Tejan (TJ) Gurung, confirmed the news of his death in a statement posted on Instagram.
“It is with profound sadness and immense heartbreak that we confirm that Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja, tragically lost his life following the avalanche on Broad Peak.
We have also received confirmation that other members of the expedition sadly did not survive,” the statement read.
“The world has lost one of mountaineering's greatest climbers; a leader who inspired millions through his courage, humility and unwavering belief that human potential is far greater than we often imagine.
More than his extraordinary achievements, he wanted to show the world what was possible when you dared to dream bigger, believed in yourself and refused to accept limitations,” it added.
Who was Nirmal Purja?
Widely known as Nims Dai, 43-year-old Nepal-born Purja is a former British Army soldier who made global headlines after climbing the world's 14 highest peaks in just 189 days in 2019, setting a record at the time.
His feat was showcased in the Netflix documentary “14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible”.
The record was later broken in 2023.
In 2021, Purja was among a team of 10 Nepali climbers who completed the first successful winter ascent of K2.
Before becoming a full-time mountaineer, Purja served in Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas before joining the Royal Marines' Special Boat Squadron.
Former Nepal Mountaineering Association president Ang Tshering Sherpa described Purja as "one of the best climbers" in the world.
"He has climbed eight thousanders for most of the time," he added.
Purja was born on July 25, 1983, in Myagdi district of Gandaki Province and grew up in Chitwan.
He began his military career in 2003 and served for 16 years, including six years with the Gurkhas and 10 years with the United Kingdom Special Forces (SBS).
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