Avalanche in Pakistan kills famed climber Nirmal Purja, 9 others

Famed climber Nirmal Purja was among 10 people killed in an avalanche on Broad Peak -- the world's 12th tallest mountain -- in northern Pakistan, his company said Saturday.

"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 the expedition sadly didn't survive," expedition agency Elite Exped said in a statement.

Rescue teams have so far recovered five bodies, whereas the bodies of the remaining five deceased climbers have also been spotted, the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the country's official mountaineering association, said in a statement on Saturday evening.

"The bodies are located in an extremely difficult and dangerous area where any operations could be highly risky," the statement added.

Earlier Saturday, a joint team of rescuers from Nepal, Pakistan and the UK resumed helicopter-assisted search operations for the missing climbers.

The team was last in contact on Thursday morning, the official statement said, with reports emerging that evening of the powerful avalanche.

Rescue teams continue to assess the "safest" possible course of action under challenging high-altitude conditions, the Alpine Club statement added.

Purja was leading a 10-member expedition that included Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy of Oman; Sohail Sakhi of Pakistan; Wang Zhong of China; Mallory Geis of the US; and Pur Bahadur Gurung Yukta, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa, all of Nepal.

Some of the deceased climbers were well known in the mountaineering community.

A former member of the British Army's Special Boat Service, Purja gained global recognition after Netflix documented his record-breaking feat of climbing all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in just over six months.

He later led the first winter ascent of K2, cementing his reputation as one of the world's leading mountaineers.

Before the accident, Purja was attempting to become the first climber to summit all 14 eight-thousanders twice without supplemental oxygen.

"Their courage, dedication, and passion for the mountains will always be remembered with the greatest respect and admiration," Narendra Shahi Thakuri, an international mountain guide, said in a Facebook post.

The 8,047-meter (26,400-foot) Broad Peak is located in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, which is home to five of the 14 peaks above 8,000m (26,246 ft), including K2, where mountaineering accidents are not rare.