ISLAMABAD: German mountaineer and double Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has died while attempting to scale Gilgit-Baltistan’s Laila Peak (6,096 metres).
The 31-year-old Dahlmeier was caught in a rockfall during an expedition and went missing two days ago, and was confirmed dead on Wednesday, according to officials.
The Olympian was at an altitude of approximately 5,700m when the rock hit her on Monday afternoon. Her partner, Marina Eva, also from Germany, called emergency services after the accident.
A coordinated rescue operation was launched, involving Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters and local high-altitude porters. However, adverse weather and the difficult terrain prevented helicopters from landing at the accident site.
In a statement issued today, Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) Vice President Karrar Haidri said: “German Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier was confirmed dead on Wednesday after a tragic mountaineering accident in the high mountains of Pakistan.”
He added that “persistent adverse weather conditions had significantly hindered rescue operations in the days leading up to the announcement.”
Dahlmeier’s management company said on Wednesday that it is likely she died on 28 July – the day of the accident.
“It was Laura’s clear and written wishes that in an instance such as this, no one should risk their own lives to rescue her,” a statement posted to Dahlmeier’s Instagram read.
Dahlmeier, an experienced mountaineer, had been in the region since the end of June and had already ascended the Great Trango Tower.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier issued a statement today calling Dahlmeier “an ambassador for our country around the world [and] a role model for peaceful, joyful, and fair coexistence across borders.”
The German Olympic Sports Confederation expressed deep sorrow at the news.
“She was more than an Olympic champion — she was someone with heart, attitude, and vision,” it said in a statement on X.
