KATHMANDU: Acclaimed British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja, a trailblazer who summited the world's tallest mountains, has been confirmed dead in an avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak, his climbing company said on Saturday. Purja, 43, served with Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas and then the Special Boat Squadron of the Royal Marines before becoming a full-time mountaineer and guide. He famously completed the summit of the 14 highest peaks in the world in just over six months in 2019, shattering the previous record of seven years.
"It is with profound sadness and immense heartbreak that we confirm that Nirmal Purja tragically lost his life following the avalanche on Broad Peak," Purja's company Elite Expeditions said in a social media post. "We have also received confirmation that other members of the expedition sadly did not survive."
The determined climber had the 14 mountains tattooed across his back, complete with swirling clouds and Tibetan prayer flags. His efforts were chronicled in a 2021 Netflix documentary, inspiring a new wave of climbers. Purja made history in 2021 with the first winter ascent of the treacherous K2, the world's second-highest peak, along with a team of nine other Nepali climbers. — AFP
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