KATHMANDU: Movement was still being detected on the GPS device linked to the team of missing climbers, including renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, until 6:30 am on Friday, offering fresh hope that the group may still be alive after being hit by an avalanche on Broad Peak, the world’s 12th highest mountain.

According to Purja’s business partner and lawmaker Mingma Gyabu Sherpa, the GPS initially showed a rapid descent immediately after the avalanche, but continued changes in location afterward suggest that the climbers may have been trying to move toward a safer area.

As concern over the situation deepened, a three-member specialist rescue team led by Mingma David is scheduled to leave for Pakistan on a 3 pm flight today. The team includes highly experienced Sherpas trained in long-line helicopter rescue operations in Nepal’s high Himalayan terrain.

Sherpa said visas were arranged urgently through coordination among Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, and the Nepali Embassy in Pakistan. After arriving in Pakistan, the team is expected to join local rescuers and take part directly in the rescue operation.

Kathmandu Marriott operator Gaurav Agrawal is also traveling to Pakistan with the rescue team. Agrawal is a close friend of Purja, who often stays at the Marriott Hotel while in Kathmandu.
The Pakistani military has already deployed helicopters for the search operation. Sherpa said the Alpine Club of Pakistan, which includes former military officers, is working with the government to intensify search and rescue efforts.

Sherpa, who has previously climbed both K2 and Broad Peak, described the Broad Peak area as extremely hazardous due to its geography. The mountain lies roughly one to two hours from K2.
Nirmal Purja was leading an international climbing team on Broad Peak when a major avalanche struck and contact was lost. The group consists of 10 climbers, including six Nepalis.