Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters deployed after avalanche on Broad Peak

Pakistan Army Aviation has deployed two rescue helicopters to support search and recovery operations after an avalanche descended down Broad Peak, leaving at least 10 climbers missing in the country’s Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Search teams located the bodies of four climbers earlier today, although officials said they had not yet been recovered because of the challenging terrain. Rescue efforts were continuing in what authorities described as a remote and difficult area of the 8,051m (26,414ft) mountain.

The Alpine Club of Pakistan said two Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters had been dispatched to support the operation following the suspected avalanche, which occurred around midday on Thursday. The club said it remained hopeful that the remaining climbers would be found, although the team had reportedly been out of communication since the incident.

Among those missing is Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, who gained international recognition after setting the record for the fastest ascent of the 14 highest peaks in the world. The Alpine Club of Pakistan said the expedition also included climbers from Nepal, Pakistan, Oman, the USA, and China.

According to Seven Summit Treks, three of its Sherpa guides were among those missing. The company’s board director, Chhang Dawa Sherpa, told Reuters that the team’s last known location was approximately 6,600m (21,653ft) before they were believed to have been swept down the mountain by the avalanche.

The incident highlights the vital role military aviation assets play in high-altitude search and rescue operations. Helicopter crews operating in the Karakoram face extreme environmental challenges, including thin air, unpredictable weather, and steep terrain, which can significantly limit aircraft performance and complicate rescue and recovery missions.

Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain, is regarded as one of Pakistan’s most technically demanding climbs and has long relied on military aviation support for emergency response in its remote alpine environment.

Elsewhere in the sector, AirMed&Rescue recently reported on the deployment of firefighting aircraft across southern Europe as aerial assets supported wildfire operations in Greece, France, and Spain.