- Last photo of Nirmal Purja and team surfaced before Broad Peak avalanche in Pakistan Kashmir
- Avalanche struck Broad Peak at about 5,700m, killing Purja and nine others last week
- Rescuers recovered Purja's body and three others, with one body at a higher elevation
The last known photograph of renowned climber Nirmal "Nims" Purja and his expedition party has surfaced online, purportedly taken not long before they were swept away by a massive avalanche on one of the world's highest mountains in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's Karakoram range. The 43-year-old British-Nepali climber, along with nine others, died at approximately 5,700m on Broad Peak when they were swept away by an avalanche last week.
Pakistan-based tour operator Karakoram Vision shared the photograph of the climbers, claiming it was taken on July 30 shortly before the avalanche struck the 8,051-meter mountain in the Karakoram range.
"Our team captured this footage yesterday, July 30, right before tragedy struck. We were watching from base camp and could clearly see the 10 international climbers--including world-famous mountaineer Nirmal "Nims" Purja--pushing up the mountain," the tour operator wrote in a post on Instagram, along with a video showing Purja's team before the avalanche hit the peak.
"Suddenly, a massive avalanche triggered above them. After the snow cleared, we scanned the upper slopes with horror. No one was visible anymore. It's a big tragedy on Broad Peak," the caption added.
Body Recovered
Rescuers recovered Purja's body on Sunday after an avalanche killed him and nine team members on one of the world's highest peaks in northern Pakistan. The avalanche struck on Thursday, cutting off contact with the international expedition led by Purja on Broad Peak.
"The ground rescue team has reached Nims Dai (Purja) at approximately 5,700 m on Broad Peak -- a mountain he loved, and a mountain that has now taken him from us," the club posted on social media.
The club's general secretary, Ayaz Shigri, said a ground rescue team was transporting four bodies -- including those of Purja, two other Nepali nationals and a Chinese citizen -- down from the mountain.
"Rescuers have also confirmed the presence of one additional body at a significantly higher elevation," he said in a statement.
"Due to the extremely hazardous terrain and prevailing conditions, it is unlikely that a recovery attempt will be made at this stage," he added.
Purja's expedition company confirmed on Saturday that no team members had survived. Regional authorities said the remains of three climbers -- an Omani woman, a Nepali man, and an American woman -- had been recovered and flown to the city of Skardu on Friday.
The avalanche has sparked an outpouring of shock in the mountaineering community, especially in Nepal, and leaders including Britain's Prince William have expressed condolences to the families of the climbers.
