The toll from a devastating avalanche on Broad Peak has sharpened into a grim recovery mission, with rescue teams in Pakistan now confirming the deaths of seven mountaineers, including the renowned Nepali-British climber Nirmal Purja. Three members of the ten-person international expedition remain unaccounted for, among them a Pakistani guide who had planned this to be his final climb. Main Developments The avalanche struck the 8,051-metre peak, the world's twelfth-highest, in Pakistan's Karakoram range around midday on Thursday, trapping the group in one of mountaineering's most demanding and remote settings. Search crews located four bodies on Friday but managed to bring down only three as bad weather grounded helicopters; they were identified as Nepali climber Pur Bahadur Gurung, known as Yukta, Omani mountaineer Nadhira Al Harthy, and American climber Mallory Geis. On Sunday, a ground team reached Purja and three others: Chinese climber Wang Zhong and Nepali climbers Nima Sherpa and Kili Pemba Sherpa. Still missing are Sohail Sakhi, a Pakistani guide and photographer who had intended to retire from expedition work after this climb, as well as two others whose names have not been released. Read also: Iran-Oman talks on Hormuz near final stage amid US deal push Background Purja's death, confirmed by his expedition company Elite Exped on Saturday, has reverberated far beyond climbing circles. The 43-year-old, also known as Nims Dai, was a former Gurkha—Nepali soldiers serving in the British Army—who became a special forces soldier and then a global celebrity in 2019 after racing up all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks in a record 189 days, a feat later chronicled in a Netflix documentary. His record-breaking 2019 climb, surpassed in 2023, propelled him from relative obscurity into one of the most recognisable names in mountaineering. Two years later, he led the first winter ascent of K2, the world's second-highest peak, by an all-Nepali team. The climbers on Broad Peak came from five countries—Nepal, Pakistan, Oman, the United States and China—reflecting the international attraction of a mountain considered one of the most punishing ascents among the world's 14 highest. Why It Matters The retrieval mission is complicated by remote, treacherous terrain and Pakistan's limited capacity for long-line helicopter rescues compared with neighbouring Nepal. Each recovered body represents a family awaiting closure, while the three missing climbers, including Sakhi, leave questions about the risks inherent in high-altitude expeditions. Nepal's Prime Minister, Balendra Shah, said the climbers' courage, dedication and contributions would remain an inspiration, even though their physical journey had ended. Elite Exped remembered Purja as a leader who had “inspired millions through his courage and humility.” The tragedy underscores the human cost behind the sport's celebrated achievements. What's Next Search crews continue to look for the three remaining climbers, with efforts likely to depend on weather conditions in the coming days. The recovery of Purja and the others on Sunday suggests ground teams are making progress, but the fate of Sakhi and the two others remains uncertain. Meanwhile, tributes are mounting, with students and teachers gathering around Purja's photograph at Small Heaven School in Nepal's Chitwan district on Sunday, lighting candles and laying flowers where he boarded for eight years before joining the Gurkhas. The mountaineering community now awaits further updates from Pakistani authorities as the search enters its fourth day.