Kathmandu— The remains of three highly accomplished Nepali climbers – Kili Pemba Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa, and Nima Sherpa – were returned to Nepal on Tuesday, bringing to a close one chapter in the aftermath of the devastating July 30 avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram range. The bodies arrived at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport aboard a Qatar Airways flight from Doha, where they were met by grieving relatives, fellow climbers, and officials from the Nepal Mountaineering Association and expedition companies. The three Sherpas were among ten climbers killed when an avalanche struck between Camp 2 and Camp 3 on the 8,051-meter peak.

A Nation Mourns

Emotions ran high at Tribhuvan International Airport as officials unloaded the coffins from the aircraft. Family members broke down in tears beside the caskets during airport formalities before the bodies were transported to their respective destinations. The loss of these experienced guides represents a significant blow to Nepal’s climbing community and highlights the inherent risks faced by those who support expeditions on the world's highest peaks.

Distinguished Climbing Careers

Kili Pemba Sherpa, 46, was renowned for his extensive experience, including participation in the first winter ascent of K2 in January 2021 and a recent completion of all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks with a summit of Nanga Parbat. He worked as a guide for Imagine Nepal. Gyalu Sherpa, also known as Gyaljen, hailed from Okhaldhunga and had summited Kanchenjunga three times in a single season – a record considered exceptional by many climbers – alongside numerous ascents of Mount Everest. Nima Sherpa, in his mid-30s, was a senior guide for Elite Exped and had already summited four 8,000-meter peaks during the 2026 season before embarking on the ill-fated Broad Peak expedition.

Ongoing Recovery Efforts

The bodies of Pur Bahadur Gurung and British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja have also been repatriated; Purja’s remains were flown to the United Kingdom, where he held citizenship. However, recovery efforts are ongoing for three climbers – one Nepali, one Pakistani, and one American – who remain on the mountain, hampered by challenging high-altitude conditions. Broad Peak, located on the border of Pakistan and China, is known as a technically demanding but less crowded 8,000-meter peak compared to nearby K2.

Mountaineering Risks and Changing Conditions

The avalanche that struck Broad Peak has been described by veteran climbers as one of the deadliest single incidents in the mountain’s history. The exposed sections between Camp 2 and Camp 3 have previously experienced avalanche activity, and mountaineers have noted increasingly unpredictable snowpack conditions in the Karakoram range. Some experts attribute these changing patterns to shifting weather systems that are making route assessment more difficult.

The July 30th disaster is considered one of the worst tragedies affecting Nepali high-altitude workers since the 2014 Everest icefall avalanche and the 2015 earthquake-triggered avalanche at Everest Base Camp.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.