Oman honours legacy of Nadhira Al Harthy following tragic loss in Broad Peak avalanche

file photo (Climber Nadhira bint Ahmed Al Harthy succeeded in reaching the summit of Mount Manaslu in Nepal, 2021)Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman is mourning the loss of pioneering Omani mountaineer Nadhira bint Ahmed Al Harthy, who was among ten people missing and feared dead after an avalanche struck a high-altitude climbing expedition on Broad Peak in northern Pakistan's Karakoram mountain range.Nadhira bint Ahmed Al Harthy, the first Omani woman to conquer Mount Everest, is remembered for inspiring generations through her courage, resilience, and pioneering achievements in mountaineering. According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), the avalanche hit an expedition team led by renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja on the 8,047-meter mountain. The club reported that the team could not be reached following the incident and has been out of communication. The ten-person expedition comprises five Nepalese climbers, a Pakistani, an Omani, an American, a Chinese climber, and one other foreigner.Purja, a 43-year-old former member of Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Royal Marines' Special Boat Squadron, holds multiple world climbing records. Prior to the ascent, Purja shared on social media platform X that he was seeking to become the first person to climb all fourteen 8,000-meter "super peaks" twice without supplemental oxygen. "Broad Peak, I ask for nothing but safe passage up and back down," he wrote. "I take zero mountains for granted. Not one."Broad Peak is the world's 12th highest mountain and is widely regarded as one of the most technical and difficult climbs among the world's 8,000-meter peaks.The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed that two Pakistan Army helicopters carrying specialized rescue personnel and equipment have been dispatched to support search operations on the ground and assist in the challenging high-altitude environment.