Tragedy for former biathlon star Laura Dahlmeier. The 31-year-old is seriously injured in a rockfall. It is now clear: all help comes too late for her.
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- Former German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier had a serious accident while mountaineering in the Pakistani mountains on Monday.
- The 31-year-old was at least seriously injured by a falling rock on Laila Peak, her management told the German Press Agency.
- On Wednesday it became clear that all help was too late for Dahlmeier. She dies in the accident.
Tragedy for Laura Dahlmeier: the former top German biathlete has had a serious accident while mountaineering in the Karakoram Mountains in Pakistan.
The 31-year-old was initially injured by a falling rock on Laila Peak. On Wednesday it became clear that any help for her was too late. As confirmed by her management, the former biathlete died in the accident.
The rescue mission for Dahlmeier turned out to be difficult. The mission could only be partially carried out due to poor weather conditions. For example, helicopter flights were not possible at times.
On Wednesday morning, four experienced climbers and two mountain porters were on the mountain in two teams to rescue the 31-year-old.
No rescue for the time being - Laura's wish
"It was Laura Dahlmeier's express and written will that in a case like this, no one should risk their life to rescue her," the management announced. "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, who also expressly request that Laura's last wishes be respected."
"We are saying goodbye to a great person," the family said, thanking the rescuers. "Laura enriched our lives and the lives of many with her warm and straightforward manner. She showed us that it is worth standing up for your dreams and goals and always staying true to yourself."
Contact with rope partner
Dahlmeier was reportedly on an alpine-style climb with her rope partner on the 6069-metre-high Laila Peak when she was hit by a falling rock at around 5700 meters on Monday around midday (local time). The rope partner immediately made an emergency call and the rescue operation was launched immediately.
According to the Pakistani medium "Dawn", Dahlmeier was still able to communicate with her rope partner after the rockfall. However, it was no longer possible to get to Dahlmeier. Her rope partner made the descent to base camp.
Laila Peak is located not far from K2, the second highest mountain in the world, near the border with China. The region attracts mountaineers every year, but the risks of avalanches and storms are high.
Second summit goal
The former biathlete had reportedly been traveling in the region with friends since the end of June. She had already successfully climbed the Great Trango Tower (6287 meters) on 8 July. Laila Peak was the second planned summit destination.
Laura Dahlmeier is a state-certified mountain and ski guide, an active member of the mountain rescue service and is considered an experienced and risk-conscious mountaineer.
Mountaineering and climbing are Dahlmeier's great passions. However, she sharply criticized the mass tourism that has been rampant for years, for example in the Himalayas. The highest mountain in the world, under whose summit queues of people regularly form, does not appeal to her, as she said in an interview.
For her, "a certain spirit of adventure, a certain loneliness, choosing your own route, sporting spontaneity and flexibility" are important when mountaineering, Dahlmeier told the German Press Agency at the beginning of 2024.
Olympic gold and early career end
With two Olympic gold medals in Pyeongchang in 2018 and a total of seven world championship titles, Laura Dahlmeier is the most successful German biathlete of the past decade.
In particular, she left her mark on the 2017 World Championships in Hochfilzen, where she won five gold medals and one silver in six starts. She also secured victory in the overall World Cup in the 2016/17 season.
In May 2019, the Upper Bavarian then surprisingly ended her career as a competitive athlete at the age of 25. At the time, she declared that she no longer had any sporting goals as a biathlete. In addition to her mountain and climbing tours, Dahlmeier has also been active as a TV expert for ZDF.
