Elham Asaad Buaras
Nadhira Al Harthy, who made history as Oman’s first woman to summit Mount Everest in 2019, was among 10 climbers killed in an avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak.
Al Harthy, 47, died on July 30 when an avalanche struck an international climbing team attempting to ascend the 8,051-metre Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region.
Ten climbers were caught in the avalanche and have since been confirmed dead. The victims included climbers from Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, China, the United States and Britain.
Al Harthy was among the first victims to be identified. The dead also included Nepal-born mountaineer Nirmal Purja, known as “Nims Dai”, who climbed all 14 of the world’s peaks above 8,000 metres in a record 189 days in 2019.
The recovery operation was hampered by severe weather, heavy snowfall, high altitude and difficult terrain. Pakistan Army helicopters were deployed to recover the bodies and transport them to Skardu.
At the latest stage of the operation, eight bodies had been recovered, while two remained on the mountain.
Broad Peak, also known as Falchan Kangri, rises 8,051 metres in the Karakoram range near Pakistan’s border with China. Its extreme altitude, steep terrain and exposed conditions make it one of the world’s most challenging mountains to climb.
Al Harthy was a prominent figure in Omani mountaineering. In 2019, she became the first woman from Oman to summit Mount Everest, a milestone that established her as a pioneer of the country’s climbing community.
She had previously spoken about the challenges of pursuing mountaineering and the importance of following her ambitions despite concerns from others.
In a 2021 interview, Al Harthy said she had initially kept her Everest plans from her family because she feared being discouraged.
“I didn’t want to listen to, ‘Yes you can or you cannot.’ I don’t want to evaluate my dream.”
Her death on Broad Peak marks the loss of one of Oman’s most accomplished mountaineers.
