German athlete Laura Dahlmeier has died in a climbing accident in Pakistan, official says

CTV News

6 days ago

Women's 7.5km biathlon sprint gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier, of Germany, celebrates during the medals ceremony at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- German biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has died on a mountain peak in northern Pakistan following a climbing accident, and efforts are underway to retrieve her body, a local government spokesman said Wednesday.
Dahlmeier, an Olympic gold medalist, was climbing Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range on Monday when she was struck by falling rocks. Rescuers on Wednesday confirmed Dalhmeier's death on the mountain, said Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the regional Gilgit-Baltistan government.
Her body will be brought to the city of Skardu when it is retrieved by rescuers, Faraq said.
Military helicopters were on standby to assist but have been unable to deploy because of bad weather, Faraq said. Climbers including two Americans have been attempting the same ascent done by Dalhmeier to try to join the rescue operation, he said.
Authorities launched the rescue mission Monday after receiving a distress signal from Dahlmeier's climbing partner, Marina Eva, who managed to descend to base camp with help from rescuers Tuesday.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier offered his condolences to Dahlmeier's parents, writing that she 'was an exceptional sportswoman.' He recalled that he presented her with the highest honour on German sport, the Silver Laurel Leaf, shortly after she won her first Olympic gold medal in 2018.
'Laura Dahlmeier was an ambassador for our country in the world, a role model for peaceful, cheerful and fair coexistence across borders,' he said.
Dahlmeier was injured at an altitude of about 5,700 metres (18,700 feet) around noon Monday, according to her management team in Germany. German broadcaster ZDF reported she suffered serious injuries in a rockfall.
Dahlmeier won seven gold, three silver and five bronze medals at Biathlon World Championships, along with 20 World Cup races and the overall World Cup in the 2016-17 season, according to her website.
She won gold medals in the sprint and pursuit races at the Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018 and the bronze medal in the individual competition.
Dahlmeier ended her biathlon career in 2019, when she was 25. She grew up in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the German Alps and turned to mountaineering challenges after ending her biathlon career. She had been a state-certified mountain and ski guide since 2023 and volunteered for the Garmisch-Partenkirchen mountain rescue team.
Hundreds of climbers try to scale mountains in northern Pakistan every year and accidents are common because of avalanches and sudden weather changes.
The region has also been battered by above-normal seasonal rains, triggering flash floods and landslides. Since last week, at least 20 Pakistani tourists have been missing after floodwaters swept them away near the northern district of Chilas.
By Riaz Khan