A ten-member international mountaineering team is feared missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in Pakistan. The expedition was led by Nirmal Purja, a Nepal-born former Royal Marine.
Pakistani mountaineering officials reported that the avalanche hit at around midday on Thursday. Broad Peak stands 8,047 metres high and is located in the Karakoram range.
There has been no subsequent communication with the team after the incident. Alpine Club of Pakistan vice-president Karrar Haidri said in a statement late on Thursday that the climbers had been out of communication since the avalanche.
Expedition composition
The group includes five Nepali climbers. An American climber and a Chinese national are also part of the expedition.
An Omani climber and a Pakistani mountaineer from Hunza are among the missing. Another foreign climber whose identity was not specified is also part of the team.
Rescue efforts
Searchers hope to use a helicopter if weather permits. The Alpine Club of Pakistan said every effort was being made to mobilise helicopters and other rescue resources quickly, subject to weather and operational conditions.
Alpine Club of Pakistan president Major General Irfan Arshad and senior leaders were in contact with government officials to facilitate an immediate search-and-rescue operation. The club received initial reports that the avalanche struck the team led by Purja.
Climbers had been out of communication since the avalanche
Nirmal Purja is best known for climbing all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre-plus mountains in just over six months in 2019.