Nirmal Purja was leading a group of 10 climbers on Broad Peak when the avalanche struck

The Prince of Wales expressed that he was "truly saddened" by the death of Nirmal Purja, the celebrated Nepalese-born mountaineer and former British military serviceman who perished in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan. His climbing partners Pur Bahadur Gurung and Nima Sherpa also lost their lives.

In a statement posted on social media on Saturday evening and signed "W", the prince wrote: "I was truly saddened to hear of the tragic death of Nirmal Purja and those who lost their lives in the avalanche on Broad Peak.

"Nims served with distinction in the British Armed Forces before becoming one of the world's greatest mountaineers, putting Nepalese climbers on the map.

"His relentless pursuit of what seemed impossible, combined with his humility and selflessness, made him truly unique.

"My thoughts are with his family and the families of all those who died."

Elite Exped, the company Mr Purja co-founded, confirmed his death in a statement shared on Instagram.

The company said: "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 this expedition sadly did not survive.

"Today, we mourn not only Nims, but every life lost in this tragedy including his trusted climbing partners and guides, Pur Bahadur Gurung (Yukta) and Nima Sherpa."

The 43-year-old had been leading a group of 10 climbers on Broad Peak, the world's 12th highest mountain, when the avalanche struck at approximately midday on Thursday.

A search operation followed before the deaths were confirmed.

Bear Grylls, the British adventurer, paid tribute on Instagram, writing: "Heartbreaking news for so many climbers around the world who had a relationship with this remarkable and unique man. We will never forget you Nims and your unstoppable spirit."

Spencer Matthews, who had worked closely with Mr Purja on efforts to recover the remains of his brother Michael from Everest, also shared his grief.

Michael Matthews had been the youngest Briton to reach Everest's summit before disappearing on the mountain in 1999. Their search was documented in the 2023 film Finding Michael, which also featured Grylls.

Writing on Instagram alongside a photograph with Mr Purja, the 37-year-old described the events on Broad Peak as "heartbreaking" and said he was praying "for a miracle" for those still unaccounted for.

Mr Purja shot to global fame in 2019 after summiting all 14 of the world's peaks above 8,000 metres in just 189 days, beating the previous record by more than seven years.

His feat, beginning with Annapurna in April and encompassing Everest and K2, was chronicled in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.

Before his mountaineering career, he spent 16 years in the British military, including a decade in the special forces.

He was recognised with an MBE by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2018 for his accomplishments in extreme high-altitude climbing.

A specialist in cold weather warfare, Mr Purja was the first Gurkha to summit Everest whilst serving in the British armed forces.

In 2016, he single-handedly rescued a stricken climber from Everest's death zone, defying established mountaineering conventions.