Prince William pays emotional tribute to 'truly unique' mountaineer Nirmal Purja killed in avalanche in Pakistan

Prince William has paid a touching tribute to British Army and Royal Marines soldier Nirmal Purja, who died in an avalanche in Pakistan.

The Nepalese mountaineer, who also starred in a Netflix documentary, had been leading an expedition of 10 climbers on Broad Peak – the world’s 12th highest mountain – in the north of the country when the avalanche struck at about midday on Thursday, July 30.

The company he co-founded, Elite Exped, confirmed his death.

In a post on X, William said: “I was truly saddened to hear of the tragic death of Nirmal Purja and those who lost their lives in the avalanche on Broad Peak.

“Nims served with distinction in the British Armed Forces before becoming one of the world’s greatest mountaineers, putting Nepalese climbers on the map.

“His relentless pursuit of what seemed impossible, combined with his humility and selflessness, made him truly unique.

“My thoughts are with his family and the families of all those who died.”

The post was signed ‘W’.

Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images

Adventurer Bear Grylls also paid tribute to Purja, writing on Instagram: “Heartbreaking news for so many climbers around the world who had a relationship with this remarkable and unique man. We will never forget you Nims and your unstoppable spirit.”

In 2019, Purja climbed all 14 of the world’s mountains with peaks above 8,000 metres (26,247ft) in 189 days, going on to beat the previous record. His challenge was captured as part of the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, as he reached the summit of mountains who have their peaks in the ‘death zone’. According to his official website, the peaks are called that because "at that altitude the pressure of oxygen isn’t sufficient to sustain human life for an extended period".

The challenge saw him start with Annapurna on April 23 2019 and ended with Shishapangma in China in October of the same year. He had served in the British military for 16 years, with a decade spent in the special forces. In 2018 the late Queen made him an MBE for his achievements in high-altitude mountaineering, among which was his feat in 2016 that saw him rescue a climber left in the “Everest death zone”.

Netflix © 2021

Elite Exped said in their Instagram post: “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 this expedition sadly did not survive.

“Today, we mourn not only Nims, but every life lost in this tragedy including his trusted climbing partners and guides, Pur Bahadur Gurung (Yukta) and Nima Sherpa.

“Our deepest thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences are with their families, friends and loved ones. No words can erase the pain of this unimaginable loss, and we ask that everyone respects their privacy as they grieve.”

Another high-profile figure who paid tribute was former Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews, who he worked with to help recover the body of his brother, Michael, the youngest Briton to summit Everest and who had disappeared on the mountain in 1999. They were seen in the 2023 documentary Finding Michael. Spencer said in his post that the news from Broad Peak was “heartbreaking”.

He added: “The mountains inspire us with their beauty but they also demand immense respect.

“Every person who ventures into that world understands the risks, yet they go anyway, driven by curiosity, purpose, passion and a deep love for the places few will ever experience.

“The news from Broad Peak is heartbreaking. So many lives, families, friends and teammates now facing unimaginable loss. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.

“May those who have been lost be remembered not only for how they died, but for how they lived, the courage they showed, and the lives they touched. Rest in peace. To those not yet found, we pray for a miracle.”