ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: The bodies of three more mountaineers have been recovered, leaving rescuers searching for the remains of the last two members of the expedition team that was caught in a deadly avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, authorities said on Monday.
The 10-member climbing team - comprising six Nepalese, one Pakistani, one Omani, one American and one Chinese climber - had gone missing on Thursday after the avalanche struck the group at an altitude of approximately 7,000 metres on the mountain located in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Four bodies were recovered on Friday, one early Sunday and three were found later in the day, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said.
Efforts to find the remaining two are currently underway in extremely difficult terrain, it said.
The bodies recovered have been identified as veteran British-Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja; Pur Bahadur Gurung, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, and Gyalu Sherpa of Nepal; Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy of Oman; Mallory Geis of the US; and China's Wang Zhong.
The remains of Sohail Sakhi of Pakistan and Nawang Thindu Sherpa are still missing.
Purja, whose body was found at approximately 5,700 metres, had set a record for the fastest ascent of the world's 14 highest mountains, completing the feat in six months in 2019.
He became widely known internationally after the Netflix documentary chronicling his journey, '14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible', was released two years later. Pujra also served in the British military with the Gurkhas and later in special forces.
On Saturday, Purja's organising company -- Elite Exped -- had announced that all members of the expedition had died.
Broad Peak, standing at 8,051 metres, is located in the Karakoram range near K2. It is the world's 12th-highest mountain and is considered one of the most challenging peaks to climb.
The ACP also expressed concern that some local high-altitude porters might have been caught in the avalanche. However, no details about them have been shared yet. (PTI)
