Authorities abandon recovery of German Olympian killed in Pakistan
Dahlmeier was confirmed dead on Wednesday, having been hit by falling rocks while climbing at an altitude of 5,700 metres on Laila Peak in the Karakoram range.
Attempts to recover her body were abandoned due to "dangerous" conditions at the site, Dahlmeier's management agency said Thursday.
In consultation with the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the agency said her relatives would "continue to monitor the situation... and are keeping the option of arranging a rescue at a later date".
Several of Dahlmeier's colleages confirmed the two-time Olympic gold medallist had said she did not want her body recovered if it put any would-be rescuers at risk.
German mountaineer Thomas Huber was part of a team who had attempted a rescue but told reporters on Thursday: "We have decided she should stay, because that was her wish."
Another member of the rescue team, American Jackson Marvell told AFP it would be "disrespectful" to recover her body contrary to her wishes.
Marvell said "the recovery of Laura's body will be possible, but it involves incredible risks, both on foot and by helicopter".
Dahlmeier's climbing partner Marina Krauss, who was with her at the time of the incident, said at a press conference on Thursday the former Olympian did not move after being caught in a rockfall.
"I saw Laura being hit by a huge rock and then being thrown against the wall. And from that moment on, she didn't move again," Krauss told reporters.
Krauss said she was unable to reach Dahlmeier and called for outside support.
"It was impossible for me to get there safely.
"It was clear to me the only way to help her was to call a helicopter. She didn't move, she didn't show any signs (of movement). I called out to her, but there was no response."
"She only had a chance if help arrived immediately," she said.
Dahlmeier won seven world championship gold medals, and at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang she became the first woman biathlete to win both the sprint and the pursuit at the same Games.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
11 minutes ago
- IOL News
The ripples from Pieter Coetzé's Singapore heroics could soon be felt in LA
Pieter Coetzé celebrates winning gold in the 100m backstroke final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Image: World Aquatics The emergence of recently crowned 100m world backstroke champion Pieter Coetzé as one of the best swimmers in the world right now has given the country's medal prospects in the pool at LA 2028 a major boost. The 21-year-old Tuks psychology student in Pretoria is fresh from becoming the only man to reach the podium in all three backstroke events at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, which featured the cream of the world's swimming talent. Coetzé powered his way to South Africa's first medal of the championships, claiming gold in the 100m backstroke. He fought off Olympic champion Thomas Ceccon and France's Yohann Ndoye-Brouard in the second half of the final to reach the wall in a sensationally quick new African record time of 51.85 seconds. His time was just 0.25 seconds off Ceccon's world record. It was also faster than Ceccon's gold-winning time from last year's Olympic Games in Paris. 'I always thought it would happen eventually,' admitted Coetzé afterwards during his poolside TV interview. 'In my mind, it was just a matter of time – but to do it this year is amazing.' Olympic 200m backstroke champion Hubert Kós was relegated to fourth in the 100m, but the Hungarian would enjoy a measure of revenge in the 200. The Pretoria swimmer went out hard in the final, turning first at both the 50m and 100m marks under world record pace, but was hunted down in the second half of the race by Kós. While Coetzé closed in on the Hungarian in the final metres, he just couldn't out-touch him, finishing second in 1:53.36 – just 0.17 seconds off the gold. That time took almost a second off the African record he had set in the semi-finals and now ranks as the seventh-fastest 200m backstroke swim in history. Faster than Paris Both Kós and Coetzé's times were faster than the Hungarian's gold medal-winning swim at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The tall and powerfully built South African then sealed his final medal of the world champs – silver in the 50m backstroke, a result that even took him by surprise. Coetzé lined up for the 50m final as the third-fastest qualifier behind two Russians – world record-holder Kliment Kolesnikov and Pavel Samusenko – having set an African record in the semi-finals. He went even quicker in the final, powering across the pool in another continental record of 24.17 seconds to share the silver with Samusenko, who touched in exactly the same time. Kolesnikov took gold in a championship record of 23.68. 'I'm very happy. I don't really train for the 50 – I train for the 200 – so to be able to go down so far and win a medal in the 50 is amazing,' said a thrilled Coetzé afterwards. Kaylene Corbett also claimed a bronze medal in the women's 200m breaststroke, lifting South Africa to eleventh in the medals table in Singapore. Proud tradition The pool has been a consistent source of Olympic medals for Team SA in recent history. Tatjana Smith won gold in the 100m breaststroke and silver in the 200m at the Paris Games. That took her Olympic tally to four – two gold and two silver – making her South Africa's most decorated Olympian. You would have to go back to the 2016 Rio Olympics for the last time a South African male swimmer won an Olympic medal: Chad le Clos' silver in the 100m butterfly. Others have flown the SA flag high at the Games, including Cameron van der Burgh, Roland Schoeman, Lyndon Ferns, Darian Townsend and Ryk Neethling. There is still a long way to go until the LA Games in 2028, but Coetzé's rise has given the nation hope that his name can be added to that illustrious list. On current form – and considering his age – there is every reason to be optimistic. His medal heroics in Singapore will only fuel belief that Coetzé can take on and beat the world's best. His breakthrough is also expected to have a ripple effect on South Africa's rising swim stars, so more names could well be added to the country's medal hopefuls as LA 2028 draws closer.
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Liverpool beat Athletic Club in five-goal thriller in pre-season friendly
Liverpool's Dutch striker #18 Cody Gakpo celebrates scoring the team's third goal during the second of two pre season friendly football matches between Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on August 4, 2025. Picture: Darren Staples/AFP Image: Darren Staples/AFP Liverpool recorded a 3-2 victory over Athletic Club in their second Anfield encounter of the day with the La Liga side on Monday. Mohamed Salah steered the Reds into an early lead, finishing with trademark aplomb from Hugo Ekitike's cutback across the area. Oihan Sancet levelled for the opposing side on 29 minutes following a set-piece, but Cody Gakpo restored the home side's advantage when he converted from close range shortly after half-time. Athletic Club then equalised for a second time, Maroan Sannadi finding the net via a deflection with a header at a corner. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Gakpo's Decisive Goal and Liverpool's Anfield Debuts: Key Moments from the Match The touch had come off Gakpo inside the area; however, the Netherlands forward would once again put Liverpool in front by drilling a low shot across goal and under Unai Simon in what would prove the game's deciding moment. Five of Liverpool's summer arrivals were handed Anfield debuts for the club, with Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Florian Wirtz named in the XI. Virgil van Dijk missed out due to illness, so Salah took the captain's armband. Conor Bradley was also absent due to a minor injury. Having netted four times in the day's earlier fixture between the sides, the Reds almost made the perfect start in this one, too. A counter-attack resulted in Ekitike sending Gakpo racing down the left. His cross into the centre took Simon out of the game and found the head of Wirtz, who looped an effort onto the roof of the net with five minutes played. Then, shortly after, a free-kick routine on the edge of the area saw Salah roll the ball off to Dominik Szoboszlai, whose powerful drive was parried by the visitors' goalkeeper. Anfield Drama: Salah's Assist and Athletic Club's Equaliser An even better opening would be fashioned as the Anfield scoreboard showed 13 minutes, with Salah playing a remarkable pass across the box for Gakpo. A scoop towards the far post skidded just wide. Nevertheless, Liverpool's early pressure duly told. Szoboszlai prodded a pass into space for Ekitike to run into. He skipped beyond Daniel Vivian with a double step-over and cut it back across the area, where Salah collected – albeit with a slight touch of fortune - and steered into the net. One could have been two inside 60 seconds, but Wirtz's hook at goal from a Salah centre was parried by Simon. However, for all of the Reds' dominance, Athletic Club levelled just before the half-hour mark when Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta's free-kick towards the back post from deep was nudged back into the area by Vivian, allowing Sancet to take a touch and swipe in from 10 yards. Ryan Gravenberch's powerful blast from range threatened to put the hosts back in front almost immediately, but Simon pushed over the crossbar.
eNCA
2 hours ago
- eNCA
Djokovic withdraws from ATP Cincinnati Masters
USA - Novak Djokovic withdrew on Monday from this week's start of the ATP Cincinnati Masters, with the pullout coming a year to the day from his Paris Olympic gold medal victory. Tournament officials confirmed the news to The Athletic, meaning the 38-year-old Serb will have played no matches between his Wimbledon semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner and the US Open start in three weeks. World number one Sinner, who like Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz skipped the current ATP Toronto Masters in order to rest and recover from Wimbledon, has been in Cincinnati since the weekend. Sinner and his team posted a golf course selfie to social media on Monday, one day after an opening practice session at the pre-US Open event. Djokovic, winner of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, first played Cincinnati in 2005 and won the last of his three titles there in 2023 after losing five previous finals.
