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What happened to Laura Dahlmeier? German Olympic champion dies in tragic incident in Pakistan
Laura Dahlmeier, two-time Olympic gold medalist, tragically died in a climbing accident at 18,700 feet in Pakistan.
Laura Dahlmeier, a two-time Olympic biathlon champion from Germany, died in Pakistan following a mountaineering mishap, according to a statement released by her management and the area government on Wednesday. She was 31.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan said on Tuesday that the accident happened at Laila Peak on Monday at around midday, at an elevation of about 18,700 feet.
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What happened to German Olympic Champ Laura Dahlmeier?
In the Hushe Valley, which is located in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, Dahlmeier was ascending with her mountaineering companion when she was hit by an unanticipated rockfall. A rescue aircraft was unable to arrive at the scene due to bad weather.
According to provincial Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq, two rescue teams have confirmed her death.
Dahlmeier most likely died at the site, her representatives told Germany's Die Welt newspaper. “Laura Dahlmeier died on 28 July in a mountain accident on Laila Peak (6,069 metres) in Pakistan's Karakoram range. A recovery operation was launched but ultimately called off on the evening of 29 July.”
Rescuers are working to recover her body, which they will take to Skardu, Faraq stated. Her management mentioned that she wanted her body to be recovered without posing a risk to others.
“It was Laura Dahlmeier's express and written will that in a case like this, no one should risk their life to recover her. It was her wish to leave her body behind on the mountain in this case. This is also in line with the wishes of her relatives,” the statement said.
Local authorities launched the rescue operations on Monday following a distress call by Dahlmeier's climbing partner, Marina Eva, who was able to descend to base camp on Tuesday with the assistance of rescuers.
Who was Laura Dahlmeier?
Dahlmeier became the first female biathlete to win both sprint and pursuit gold at the same Olympics after winning two gold medals at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. In addition, she won the 2017 women's biathlon World Cup, took home the bronze in the 2018 Olympic individual competition, and withdrew from the sport in 2019 at the age of 25.
According to her website, she competed in 20 World Cup races and won seven gold, three silver, and five bronze medals at the biathlon world championships.
