Pakistan searches for missing German Olympic biathlon champion Dahlmeier after rockfall
The accident occurred on Monday when Dahlmeier was hit by a landslide in Hushe Valley in the northern mountain range in Gilgit-Baltistan province, while attempting to summit the 6,094-metre Laila Peak.
A helicopter conducted a search operation on Laila Peak on Tuesday evening but "found no signs of life", spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said.
"She is missing. We are searching. No one knows where she is," he said.
Two teams of expert climbers from Germany and the United States have been deployed, he said. Faraq added that a helicopter rescue operation was not possible due to adverse weather conditions. "Nothing is visible down there," he said.
The accident occurred around noon on July 28, at an altitude of approximately 5,700 meters at Laila Peak, said the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
Dahlmeier, 31, was climbing with her mountaineering partner when a sudden rockfall hit her, resulting in significant injuries, it said in a statement.
The provincial government spokesperson identified the climbing partner as Marina Eva Krauss.
Krauss successfully descended to base camp and is reported to be in good health, he added.
Dahlmeier retired from biathlon in 2019, aged 25, a year after becoming the first female biathlete to achieve a sprint and pursuit double at the same Olympics.
Her management did not respond to an emailed request for comment from Reuters.
Pakistan's northern mountainous regions have experienced heavy flooding and landslides, killing several local tourists during the current monsoon spell of rains.
Flooding and other rain-related accidents have killed 288 people in Pakistan since the monsoon season began in late June, says the country's National Disaster Management Authority.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier confirmed dead in mountaineering accident
Germany's two-time Olympic biathlon gold medallist Laura Dahlmeier was confirmed dead, aged 31, on Wednesday (Jul 30) after being hit by falling rocks on a Pakistani mountain. The dangerous nature of the site made rescue efforts "impossible", her management company reported in a statement issued on Wednesday, which confirmed her death. "Rescue efforts to recover her failed and the operation was suspended," the statement continued. "Laura's energy and passion for life touched so many around the world," the International Biathlon Union reacted in a statement. It added: "Her legacy, both within biathlon and beyond, will never be forgotten and will continue to inspire countless athletes and adventurers for generations to come." "This is an enormous shock. Laura will always remain in my heart," Dahlmeier's friend and rival, Czech champion Gabriela Soukalova posted on social media. The accident happened around midday on Monday at an altitude of 5,700 metres on Laila Peak in the Karakoram range, according to a statement from her team on her official social media pages. Dahlmeier's climbing partner was able to sound the alarm after reaching safety. "It was determined that a helicopter rescue is not possible," Areeb Ahmed Mukhtar, a senior local official in Ghanche district, where the more than 6,000 metre mountain is located, told AFP earlier on Wednesday. "The conditions at the altitude where she was injured are extremely challenging," he added. Shipton Trek & Tours Pakistan, which organised the expedition, confirmed the ground rescue by a team of four that includes three Americans and a German mountaineer. Dahlmeier was "hit by falling rocks," her team said on Tuesday, adding no one had yet been able to reach her due to the danger of further rockfalls and the site's "remoteness". Muhammad Ali, a local disaster management official, told AFP that weather conditions have been "extremely harsh" in the region for the past week, with rain, strong winds and thick clouds. "ROLE MODEL" 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 on Wednesday calling Dahlmeier "an ambassador for our country around the world (and) a role model for peaceful, joyful, and fair coexistence across borders." She 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. Dahlmeier retired from professional competition in 2019 at the age of 25. She went on to become a commentator on biathlon events for German broadcaster ZDF, and also took up mountaineering. She was a certified mountain and ski guide and an active member of the mountain rescue, according to her team. Dahlmeier's management company said it had been her "express and written wish that in a case like this, no one should risk their life to rescue her". They added: "Her wish was to leave her body on the mountain in such a case." This was also in line with the wishes of her relatives, "who also expressly ask that Laura's last wish be respected".
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
India withdraw from semi-final against Pakistan in veterans' tournament
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Cricket - ICC T20 World Cup 2024 - Group A - India v Pakistan - Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, United States - June 9, 2024 India's Rohit Sharma looks dejected as he walks off the pitch past team mate Axar Patel after being caught by Pakistan's Haris Rauf off the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/ File Photo India have withdrawn from a semi-final clash with Pakistan in a tournament featuring retired players amid tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours, organisers of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) said on Wednesday. A group match between the two teams was also called off earlier this month in the veterans' competition sanctioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Tickets will be refunded for the semi-final match which was scheduled to take place in Birmingham on Thursday, WCL organisers said in a statement on Instagram, adding that Pakistan will advance to the final. India and Pakistan, who have not played bilateral cricket since 2013, are set to face off in the Asia Cup on September 14. REUTERS
CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
India withdraw from semi-final against Pakistan in veterans' tournament
India have withdrawn from a semi-final clash with Pakistan in a tournament featuring retired players amid tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours, organisers of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) said on Wednesday. A group match between the two teams was also called off earlier this month in the veterans' competition sanctioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Tickets will be refunded for the semi-final match which was scheduled to take place in Birmingham on Thursday, WCL organisers said in a statement on Instagram, adding that Pakistan will advance to the final. India and Pakistan, who have not played bilateral cricket since 2013, are set to face off in the Asia Cup on September 14.
