On the late afternoon of July 30, 2026, distressing news quickly circulated among Nepal’s mountaineering community about a massive avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram range. The news sent shockwaves through the mountaineering world, as several Nepali climbers on their way to the summit were believed to have been caught in the disaster. Initial reports indicated that ten climbers were missing, including the world-renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, known as ‘Nims Dai’ in an avalanche struck at around 9:30 a.m. local time between Camp 2 and Camp 3.
It has now been confirmed that all ten climbers have lost their lives, leaving behind a lasting memory and an immeasurable sense of loss. The ten climbers who tragically lost their lives in this heart-wrenching incident were Pur Bahadur Gurung ‘Yukta’, Nima Sherpa, Kili Pemba Sherpa (Kilu), Nawang Thindu Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa, and Nirmal Purja (Nims Dai) from Nepal; Sohail Sakhi from Pakistan; Mallory Geis from the USA; Nadhira Al Harthy from Oman; and Wang Zhong from China.
The tragedy drew global attention, grief, and an outpouring of response following the loss of many acclaimed Sherpa guides and climbers, including Nirmal Purja, known as ‘Nims Dai’. Nirmal Purja, a former British Army soldier with the Brigade of Gurkhas who served with the Special Boat Service (SBS) of the Royal Navy, later transitioned to mountaineering. His serious mountaineering journey began with an ascent of Dhaulagiri on 18 May 2014 – the seventh-highest mountain in the world and the mountain in whose shadow he was born. In 2019, he undertook his groundbreaking ‘Project Possible’ mission to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in just seven months. He successfully accomplished this feat, bringing him global fame.
On 16 January 2021, ten Nepali mountaineers made history by reaching the summit of K2, the last 8,000-metre peak that had not been climbed in winter. The climbers who achieved this historic feat were Mingma Gyalje Sherpa (Mingma G Sherpa), Dawa Tenjin Sherpa, Kili Pemba Sherpa (Kilu), Sona Sherpa, Nirmal Purja ‘Nims Dai’, Mingma David Sherpa, Mingma Tenzi Sherpa, Gelje Sherpa, Pem Chhiri Sherpa, and Dawa Temba Sherpa, representing three different expedition teams and companies. This was the first time in history that Nepali Sherpa mountaineers led and organized an expedition entirely for themselves.
Satori Adventures Pays Tribute to Nims Dai
Satori Adventures is deeply saddened by this tragedy. We have always respected and honored Sherpa climbers as the backbone of mountaineering in Nepal and abroad, and they hold a deeply valued place in the heart of our company.
Satori Adventures and its Managing Director, Rishi Ram Bhandari, shared close ties with many of these fallen heroes, including Nims Dai. Their loss is therefore deeply personal and profoundly emotional for all of us at Satori Adventures.
As the General Secretary of the Expedition Operators Association – Nepal (EOA-Nepal), our MD Rishi Ram Bhandari spoke to the national daily, The Kantipur, about the tragedy and said, “The Broad Peak disaster is not merely the news of the deaths of ten climbers, including six Nepalis; it is also a profound blow to a proud chapter of Nepali mountaineering that has been built over decades through experience, leadership, and remarkable achievements on the world stage” – (Kantipur, 2 August 2026).
He remembers Nims Dai warmly, as his company, Elite Expeditions, worked closely with Satori Adventures on many occasions at base camps and on the high slopes of numerous mountains. He greatly admired Nims Dai for inspiring a new generation of Sherpa youths and climbers at a time when many young people were becoming less interested in mountaineering. Through his courageous and groundbreaking climbs, Nims Dai gave young Sherpas a renewed sense of purpose and a reason to be drawn back to the mountains.
Since then, for many young Sherpa climbers, mountaineering has come to represent much more than guiding foreign clients. It has given them the confidence to dream bigger – to become leaders in their own right, to pursue record-breaking achievements, and to earn recognition as accomplished mountaineers on the global stage.
Furthermore, he adds “Nirmal Purja transformed the reputation of Nepali mountaineering by attracting elite climbers through his extensive marketing efforts and high-quality services”. Through his record-breaking feat of climbing all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in just seven months, as well as through the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, he brought Nepal and its mountaineering achievements to the global stage, much as Everest itself has done for decades.
Nims Dai will be remembered not only as an elite mountaineer, but for his contribution towards the fellow mountaineering community, especially Sherpa Guides, and porters working in the extreme conditions and behind the scenes. The Lobuche Porter House, which came into operation in May 2026 and was built with support from the NimsDai Foundation, reflected his deep concern for the porters and low-income workers who form the foundation of Nepal’s mountain tourism industry.
We Remember All Mountain Heroes
We remember this tragedy as one of the greatest losses for Nepali mountaineering. Nepal lost a group of some of the finest mountain guides at once, making it one of the deadliest tragedies in the history of Nepali mountaineering.
Among those lost in this disaster was Pur Bahadur Gurung, known as “Yukta,” who was born and raised in the Manaslu region of Gorkha. He was an experienced mountain guide, with ten successful summits of Mt. Everest and more than 25 ascents of 8,000-meter peaks, including 12 of the 14 highest mountains in the world. He had also recently been awarded an IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations) guide license.
Kili Pemba Sherpa, known as “Kilu,” was another highly experienced mountain guide whom Nepali mountaineering community lost in this tragedy. He had climbed all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks including Mt. Everest for record 15 times. And, he was a member of the team that made the record First Winter Ascent of K2 in 2021.
Gyalu Sherpa was another legendary climbing guide who set a world record by summiting Mt. Kanchenjunga three times in a single season also lost his life in the disaster. Likewise, we remember and honor other climbers Mallory Geis, Nadhira Al Harthy, Wang Zhong, Sohail Sakhi, including Nima Sherpa, and young mountain guide Nawang Thindu Sherpa.
Lesson: We Continue to Work on Safety over Success
The Broad Peak disaster, covered by National Geographic in an article written by Anna Callaghan and Grayson Schaffer, shockingly reported that other teams on Broad Peak had retreated due to extreme weather conditions. In particular, the article refers to two mountaineers, David Klein of Hungary and Ian Overton of the United States, who attempted to climb Broad Peak without supplemental oxygen but retreated to Base Camp on July 25 due to the heavy snowfall that had begun on July 22.
As the article states, “After lots of snowfall you don’t only want good weather,” says Klein. “You want a few days of good weather in which there is no snowfall, but you are not moving because the snow has to do one of two things. It has to stick to the mountain or it has to slide down.” (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/nims-purja-avalanche-broad-peak-himalayas )
Yet, the team led by Nims Dai remained there, hoping to climb the peak.
Another deeply saddening facet was that Nims Dai had not originally planned to climb Broad Peak; instead, he had gone to the Karakoram to climb Gasherbrum II , which he summited on July 21. In the race for the record of becoming the first person to climb all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks three times, and twice without supplemental oxygen, he found that only Cho Oyu and Broad Peak remained. To pursue this feat, he wanted to add Broad Peak, which lies next to Gasherbrum II, and decided at the last minute – on July 27.
And on July 30, the chapter came to an end.
From this National Geographic report, Nims Dai’s own statement, and the unimaginable fate in the Broad Peak that unfolded, we have come to the conclusion that we will continue to put safety before success in all our future expeditions. Mountains give us dreams, hope, inspiration, and courage but they also demand the highest price from those who pursue them.
We honor those brave friends and heroes of the mountains with heartfelt respect. Your legacy will live on forever. Your journeys may have ended, but your legacy will continue to climb ever higher, inspiring generations to come.
Rest in Peace All Mountain Heroes !
