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Omani, Nepali climbers dead after avalanche strikes Pakistan's Broad Peak
The UAE hiking and mountaineering community mourned Al Harthy 'whose passion, courage, and achievements inspired climbers across Oman and the Arab world'
- PUBLISHED: Fri 31 Jul 2026, 12:36 PM UPDATED: Sat 1 Aug 2026, 7:55 AM
Omani climber Nadhira Al Harthy and Pur Bahadur Gurung “Yukta” of Nepal died after an avalanche struck Pakistan's Broad Peak (8,047m) in the Karakoram mountain range, when the two were on a climbing expedition with eight others, the Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed.
The UAE hiking and mountaineering community mourned Al Harthy "whose passion, courage, and achievements inspired climbers across Oman and the Arab world", in an Instagram post by Arabian FiTrekkers.
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The identities of the remaining climbers will be confirmed and shared as soon as official information becomes available, the club added.
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Out of the 10 climbers, police said preliminary reports indicate four bodies had been found, although they did not provide further details on the identities. However, the Alpine Club of Pakistan later confirmed that two bodies (Al Harthy and Gurung), and a body part was found.
The search and rescue operation is being led by renowned Nepali mountaineer Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, one of the most experienced and respected expedition leaders on K2, the "Savage Mountain," alongside the Pakistan Alpine Club.
Seven climbers have been spotted by drone; however, their condition and identities cannot yet be verified, the club said. Sohail Sakhi, the Pakistani climber has not yet been spotted.
In addition to Al Harthy and Gurung, the expedition comprised eight other people — including five more Nepalese, a Pakistani, an American, a climber from China, and one other foreigner.
Renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja is among the missing, the country's alpine club said.
Purja, 43, who served with Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas before joining the Special Boat Squadron of the Royal Marines, has broken multiple climbing records since becoming a full-time mountaineer and tour guide.
He climbed all 14 "eight-thousanders" (peaks above 8,000 metres, or 26,000 feet) in six months and six days between April and October 2019 — then a record.
In 2021, Purja completed the first winter ascent of K2 along with a team of nine other Nepalese climbers.
'Ask for nothing'
China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said they were "urgently working to verify and understand the situation" and said Beijing was willing to provide assistance to Pakistan.
Rescuers equipped with geolocation devices have been dispatched to search for the missing climbers, the Alpine Club said.
"Through Global Positioning System (GPS), we have already traced the locations of four climbers," Ayaz Shigri, general secretary of the Alpine Club told AFP in the northern mountainous city of Skardu.
"For now, we can't say anything about what exactly has happened," he added.
Military helicopters were reinforcing efforts on the ground to find the climbers and boost the operation in the challenging high-altitude environment, according to the club.
Purja had written on X this week that he was close to becoming the first person to climb all 14 "super peaks" twice without oxygen.
"Broad Peak, I ask for nothing but safe passage up and back down," he wrote.
"I take zero mountains for granted. Not one. The moment my foot leaves basecamp, it's 100 per cent. Always has been. Always will be.
"My purpose has never been about me. It's about what I represent. It's about showing YOU that your own mountains — whatever they are — are climbable."
Broad Peak is the world's 12th highest mountain, located in the Karakoram range in northern Pakistan, and is regarded as one of the toughest and most technical climbs of all the 8,000 metre-plus ascents.
It was first summited in 1957 by an Austrian team.
