HUNZA, Pakistan — The death of Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi on Broad Peak has been confirmed by his maternal uncle, who issued a statement on August 1 based on verified information provided by volunteers.
Sakhi, a mountaineer from Aliabad in Hunza, was among 10 climbers who went missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak on July 30. The group also included internationally renowned Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja, widely known as Nimsdai.
The other climbers were an American, a Chinese national, an Omani national and five Nepalese Sherpas.
The missing climbers were identified as:
- Nepal: Nirmal Purja (Nimsdai), Yukta Gurung, Nima Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa, Nwang Thandu Sherpa and Kili Pemba Sherpa
- Pakistan: Sohail Sakhi
- United States: Mallory Geis
- Oman: Nadhira Al-Harthy
- China: Wang Zhong
Avalanche Strikes During Broad Peak Expedition
The 10-member team was attempting to summit Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain at 8,047 meters, in the Shigar region of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The avalanche struck the West Ridge between Camp 2 and Camp 3 at an elevation of approximately 6,579 meters between 8:57 and 9:30 a.m. on July 30.
Tracking data showed that Nimsdai was near Camp 3 at an altitude of 6,659 meters at 8:53 a.m. By 9:33 a.m., after the avalanche, his position had been recorded at 5,935 meters.
Reports indicated that his GPS tracker continued to show intermittent movement.
Nadhera Al-Harthy’s post-accident position was also recorded approximately 1,651 meters below her earlier location.
Search and Recovery Efforts
Rescue teams were dispatched to Broad Peak shortly after the accident was reported.
An initial Army Aviation helicopter operation recovered the bodies of four climbers, including Al-Harthy. Local mountaineers Sarbaz Khan and Abid Baig subsequently joined the recovery effort.
A three-member Nepalese search-and-recovery team led by Mingma David Sherpa also took part in the operation. A team of specialists from the United Kingdom arrived later to provide assistance.
Over the following two days, the bodies of four additional climbers, including Nirmal Purja, were recovered.
The remains of Sohail Sakhi and American climber Mallory Gess, however, had not yet been recovered at the time of the report.
Who Was Sohail Sakhi?
Sohail Sakhi was regarded as one of Pakistan’s promising high-altitude mountaineers. A native of Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan, he had earned recognition in international mountaineering circles for his technical skills, experience on challenging expeditions and ability to climb major peaks without supplemental oxygen.
Sakhi had participated in several high-profile expeditions alongside international climbers, including Nirmal Purja, and had been part of international mountaineering teams.
In May 2026, he successfully climbed Kangchenjunga, the world’s third-highest mountain at 8,586 meters, as a member of the rope-fixing team. Such teams play a critical role in establishing and securing routes for climbers attempting high-altitude peaks.
Sakhi had also previously climbed K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II, with several of his ascents completed without supplemental oxygen.
Beyond mountaineering, Sakhi was involved in encouraging adventure, leadership and mountaineering among young people. He also contributed to the training and mentoring of local youth in Hunza.
He was increasingly being recognized as one of Pakistan’s talented mountaineers and as an ambassador for the country’s growing presence in international mountaineering.
Nirmal Purja: A Record-Setting Mountaineer
Nirmal Purja, better known as Nimsdai, was among the world’s most prominent mountaineers. A Nepalese national and former British Gurkha soldier who also served with the Special Boat Service (SBS), Purja became internationally renowned for his high-altitude achievements.
In 2019, he set a world record by climbing all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in just six months and six days. The feat had previously taken climbers years to complete.
Purja’s achievements also include playing a key role in the historic first successful winter ascent of K2 in 2021, when a team of Nepalese climbers became the first to summit the world’s second-highest mountain during winter.
He also participated in numerous high-risk mountain rescue operations and helped save the lives of fellow climbers.
His mountaineering career was later chronicled in the documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, which brought his extraordinary pursuit of the world’s 14 eight-thousanders to a global audience.
Purja was widely regarded as a symbol of determination, courage and leadership in the mountaineering world.