Nirmal Purja, the British-Nepali mountaineer whose renowned career was featured in the 2021 Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, died in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan on Thursday, July 30, his company has confirmed. He was 43.
Purja was one of 10 people killed in the tragedy.
Elite Expeditions, Purja’s company, said in a statement, “Today, it is with profound sadness and immense heartbreak that we confirm that Nirmal “Nimsdai” Purja, tragically lost his life following the avalanche on Broad Peak. We have also received confirmation that other members of the expedition sadly did not survive. Today, we mourn not only Nims, but every life lost in this tragedy.”
The statement, posted on Instagram – read it in its entirety below – continued, “The world has lost one of mountaineering’s greatest climbers, a leader who inspired millions through his courage, humility and unwavering belief that human potential is far greater than we often imagine.”
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Purja’s brother Kamal later said in a statement, “It is with the heaviest heart that I share the devastating news that my beloved younger brother, Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja, and the other climbers are no longer with us. Although our hearts are broken, we are incredibly proud of you. Your legacy will live forever.”
Born in Nepal and later serving in the British army, Purja was best known for his 2019 accomplishment of scaling the world’s 14 highest peaks in just over six months. “It has been a grueling but humbling six months,” he said at the time, “and I hope to have proven that anything is possible with some determination, self-belief and positivity.”
The 14-peak adventure was chronicled in the Netflix film 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible (see the trailer below). “The biggest strength I have is that I have no fear,” the indefatigable Purja says in the trailer.
In a statement, Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah said that “the tragic death of six Nepalese and four other foreign climbers, including world record holder Nirmal Purja, in the Karakoram mountain range of Pakistan, has shocked us. The history of their courage, dedication, and contributions will always remain inspiring.”
Purja served in the British military for 16 years and was awarded an MBE in 2018 for his achievement in extreme high-altitude mountaineering.
Purja, who lived in Hampshire, England, is survived by his wife and and three-year-old daughter. Complete information on survivors was not immediately available.
