Olympic gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier dies in climbing accident
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.
7 Laura Dahlmeier died on a mountain peak in northern Pakistan following a climbing accident.
Pierre Teyssot / SplashNews.com
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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.
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7 Laura Dahlmeier, German biathlete, holding a bronze medal in 2018.
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7 Laura Dahlmeier poses with the gold medal after winning the 2017 IBU World Championships Biathlon Women's 12,5 km Mass start race.
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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 honor 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.
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Dahlmeier was injured at an altitude of about 5,700 meters (18,700 feet) around noon Monday, according to her management team in Germany. German broadcaster ZDF reported she suffered serious injuries in a rockfall.
7 Laura Dahlmeier competes during the Women's 10 km pursuit race during the 2017 IBU World Championships Biathlon.
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7 Laura Dahlmeier warms up prior to the women's 7.5 km sprint competition at the biathlon World Cup.
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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.
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She won gold medals in the sprint and pursuit races at the Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018 and the bronze medal in the individual competition.
7 Laura Dahlmeier celebrates her victory with teammates in the finish area after the women 4×6 km relay at the FIS Biathlon World Championships.
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7 Laura Dahlmeier poses with her six medals after winning the 2017 IBU World Championships Biathlon Women's 12,5 km Mass start race.
AFP via Getty Images
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.
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