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Nirmal Purja and nine expedition members are killed by an avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak

Nirmal Purja, a world-renowned British-Nepali mountaineer, and nine other climbers were killed after being swept away by a fast-moving avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak. The 26,414-foot mountain, the world's 12th-highest peak, was struck by the avalanche on Thursday, leaving the 10-member expedition team out of communication with their base camp. Purja, who gained fame for climbing all 14 of the world's 8,000-meter peaks in a record-breaking 189 days, led the team which included climbers from Oman, Nepal, Pakistan, China, and the United States. Among the deceased are American climber Mallory Geis, who closed her Pilates studio to pursue high-altitude climbing, and Omani climber Nathira Ahmed. Rescue teams, supported by military helicopters, continue to search the area despite challenging weather conditions. While some remains have been recovered and flown to hospitals in Pakistan, the search for the remaining members of the expedition remains ongoing.

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