In brief
A catastrophic avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak on 30 July 2026 struck the mountaineers Nirmal Purja and Kili Pemba Sherpa, trapping and killing them. The close friend and Sherpa guide Mingma G, who had a history of guiding on K2, discovered the bodies and vowed to return his comrades to their families. He faced logistical challenges and environmental hazards, but he organized a foot‑borne recovery team that managed to retrieve several bodies amidst further avalanches. The recovered remains were flown back to Skardu and finally repatriated to Kathmandu on 11 August. The event has left the mountaineering community grieving and Mingma G reflecting on whether he will continue climbing.
A fatal avalanche leaves friends seeking a way home
On 30 July 2026 a massive avalanche in Pakistan’s Karakoram range struck the mountaineers Nirmal Purja and Kili Pemba Sherpa, leaving them trapped on Broad Peak. A drone reconnaissance later confirmed that no survivors remained.
Mingma G, a veteran Sherpa guide from Nepal and a close friend of Purja, discovered the bodies while en route on K2. He immediately committed to returning the fallen climbers to their families, a task that proved as perilous as the climb itself.
The recovery faced logistical hurdles: helicopters were delayed by weather, and the slope’s instability posed a danger of further avalanches. Mingma G coordinated a small, disciplined team of climbers who used fixed lines and rope systems to haul the bodies down the mountain over several hours.
The bodies, including those of Purja, Sherpa, fellow climber Wang Zhong, and others, were flown out to Skardu and then transported to Islamabad. On 11 August the recovered remains were repatriated to Kathmandu and laid to rest at Tribhuvan International Airport.
The event has left the climbing community in shock; families praised Mingma G as "extraordinary" for his efforts. The guide, who has led many expeditions, is now questions whether the ordeal will mark the end of his mountaineering career, though he remains unsure whether the memories compel him to continue or hold him back.
