Nirmal Purja: Prince William 'saddened' after death of 'truly unique' mountaineer

Prince William has led tributes to a renowned mountaineer who has died following an avalanche in Pakistan.

Nirmal Purja, who served in the British special forces, was "one of the world's greatest mountaineers" and "truly unique", according to the Prince of Wales who was "saddened".

Purja, known as Nims, was leading a 10-strong team on the 8,051m Broad Peak - the world's 12th highest mountain - in the north of the country when the avalanche struck at around midday on Thursday.

The company co-founded by Purja - Elite Exped - confirmed that the former British Army and Royal Marines soldier had died.

None of the group survived, the Alpine Club of Pakistan said on Saturday.

Prince William said in a post on X: "I was truly saddened to hear of the tragic death of Nirmal Purja and those who lost their lives in the avalanche on Broad Peak.

"Nims served with distinction in the British Armed Forces before becoming one of the world's greatest mountaineers, putting Nepalese climbers on the map.

"His relentless pursuit of what seemed impossible, combined with his humility and selflessness, made him truly unique. My thoughts are with his family and the families of all those who died."

In a post shared on Instagram, Elite Exped said: "Today, 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 this expedition sadly did not survive.

"Today, we mourn not only Nims, but every life lost in this tragedy, including his trusted climbing partners and guides, Pur Bahadur Gurung (Yukta) and Nima Sherpa.

"Our deepest thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences are with their families, friends and loved ones. No words can erase the pain of this unimaginable loss, and we ask that everyone respects their privacy as they grieve."

Broad Peak, in the Karakoram range, is the world's 12th highest mountain.

Rescuers had launched a search for the missing climbers and initially found the bodies of four - identifying two of them as Nadhira Al Harthy from Oman, and Pur Bahadur Gurung "Yukta" from Nepal.

A Netflix star who defied the so-called 'death zone'

Purja, 43, was a British citizen with an MBE, and one of the world's most renowned climbers.

He scaled the world's 14 highest peaks in just six months in 2019, holding a record for the fastest climb until Norwegian climber Kristin Harila beat him four years later.

His remarkable feat was the focus of a popular Netflix documentary, 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, which showed him powering to the top of the mountains, each with peaks in the so-called "death zone", starting with Annapurna on April 23 2019 and taking in Everest in May and K2 in July.

Purja also featured in the Disney+ documentary Finding Michael, after he was enlisted by the former Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews to help recover the body of his brother Michael, the youngest Briton to summit Everest, who disappeared on the mountain in 1999.

Matthews shared a photo with the mountaineer on Instagram, calling the news from Broad Peak "heartbreaking".

The 37-year-old reality star wrote: "The mountains inspire us with their beauty but they also demand immense respect.

"Every person who ventures into that world understands the risks, yet they go anyway, driven by curiosity, purpose, passion, and a deep love for the places few will ever experience."

He went on: "The news from Broad Peak is heartbreaking. So many lives, families, friends and teammates now facing unimaginable loss.

"Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. May those who have been lost be remembered not only for how they died, but for how they lived, the courage they showed, and the lives they touched. Rest in peace. To those not yet found, we pray for a miracle."

An 'unstoppable spirit' recognised by the late Queen

British adventurer Bear Grylls also paid tribute to Purja, writing on Instagram: "Heartbreaking news for so many climbers around the world who had a relationship with this remarkable and unique man. We will never forget you Nims and your unstoppable spirit."

Purja, who was born in Nepal, was in the military for 16 years. His website says he was the first Gurkha to join the SBS (Special Boat Service), part of the British special forces.

In 2016, he broke mountaineering conventions to rescue a climber left in the "Everest death zone", bringing her to safety alone.

He was awarded an MBE by the late Queen in 2018 for his achievement in extreme high-altitude mountaineering, and also held 18 Guinness World Records for his mountaineering feats.

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