KATHMANDU: Elite Exped on Wednesday confirmed that the bodies of its founder Nirmal "Nims" Purja and fellow climbers Zhong Wang, Nima Sherpa and Kili (Kilu) Pemba Sherpa have been successfully recovered from Pakistan's Broad Peak and brought to Base Camp after an exceptionally challenging recovery operation.

In an official statement issued on Wednesday, the expedition company said the recovery mission was carried out by a ground team led by Mingma G, with support from Pakistani climber Sirbaz Khan and other members of the rescue team operating on the mountain.

Elite Exped described the operation as one made possible through the courage, professionalism and commitment of the recovery team, who worked under difficult and dangerous conditions.

The company also expressed gratitude to the Pakistan Army, the Government of Pakistan, the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan, local authorities, the British High Commission, the Embassy of Nepal, the Alpine Club of Pakistan and others who supported the recovery effort.

"Bringing Nims home was never just about recovering a climber. It was about bringing home a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a friend, and the heart of Elite Exped," the company said, adding that the recovery would allow Purja, Wang, Nima Sherpa and Kili Pemba Sherpa to begin their final journey home to their loved ones.

Elite Exped also said its thoughts remain with the families of the three climbers who are still missing following the Broad Peak avalanche and pledged to continue supporting efforts to recover them when conditions safely permit.

The company thanked supporters around the world for their prayers and solidarity during the recovery operation, saying the legacy of the four recovered climbers would live on through the mountains they loved and the lives they inspired.

The recovery follows last week's avalanche on Broad Peak, Pakistan's 8,047-metre peak, which struck an international expedition and claimed the lives of several climbers.