Rescue teams on the Pakistan-China border are racing against time on the second day of a search operation to rescue climbers trapped by an avalanche on Mount Broad Peak. The climbing route of the world's 12th highest mountain suddenly turned harrowing after an avalanche struck an expedition group of ten people on Thursday (July 30, 2026).
To date, local authorities have confirmed that three climbers were found dead. They have been identified as Mallory Geis from the United States, Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy from Oman, and Pur Bahadur Gurung from Nepal. Meanwhile, seven other climbers are still declared missing, including Nirmal Purja, the legendary world climber from Nepal who led this multinational expedition.
According to reports from the Alpine Club of Pakistan, several climbers were spotted by drone cameras on Friday (July 31, 2026). However, their safety status and physical condition cannot yet be confirmed in detail due to limited visibility and cut-off access in the extreme terrain.
Secretary General of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, Ayaz Shigri, explained that the evacuation mission is facing severe obstacles due to extreme weather enveloping the Karakoram region. In addition to weather conditions, the threat of secondary avalanches looms over rescue workers on the ground. To expedite the search, several local Pakistani climbers and Nepalese guides currently on Mount K2 agreed to halt their activities to join as SAR volunteers.
The expedition was led directly by Nirmal Purja, a former member of the British Special Boat Service (SBS) who became famous after conquering the world's 14 highest peaks in six months in 2019. The group also included veteran climbers such as Kili Pemba Sherpa, who has climbed Mount Everest 15 times, and Mallory Geis, a US climber experiencing Pakistan's extreme terrain for the first time.
At an elevation of 8,047 meters above sea level, Broad Peak has long been known as one of the deadliest peaks for extreme adventurers since it was first conquered by an Austrian expedition in 1957. History shows that this mountain frequently claims lives, with one of the worst tragedies occurring in 2013, killing at least six climbers.
