Laura Dahlmeier, 2018 Winter Olympics biathlon gold medallist, dies climbing mountain in Pakistan
Dahlmeier, a two-time Winter Olympic gold medallist, was ascending Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range on Monday when she was struck by falling rocks.
She had been climbing with a partner who survived.
Rescuers were able to confirm the 31-year-old's death but not retrieve the body because of unfavourable weather, said Faizullah Faraq, a spokesperson for the regional Gilgit-Baltistan government.
Any final decision on retrieving the body would follow the wishes of Dahlmeier's family, he said.
A statement on Dahlmeier's Instagram page said it had been her wish that nobody risk their life to recover her body after an accident.
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 in German sport, the Silver Laurel Leaf, shortly after the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, where she became the first woman to win the 7.5 kilometre sprint and 10km pursuit biathlon gold medals at one Games.
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"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's death came two weeks after Norwegian Olympic ski cross bronze medallist Audun Grønvold died after being struck by lightning.
Authorities launched a rescue mission after receiving a distress signal from Dahlmeier's climbing partner, Marina Eva, who managed to descend to base camp with help from rescuers on Tuesday.
Dahlmeier's partner had tried for several hours to rescue her, but that was not possible because of the difficult terrain and persistent rockfall, the statement on Dahlmeier's Instagram page said.
"Her partner, who could no longer hear any signs of life, eventually decided to leave the danger zone and resume her descent," according to the statement.
It was Dahlmeier's express wish "that in a case like this, no-one should risk their life to recover her," the statement said.
It said Dahlmeier's family thanked the rescue team and climbers, who did their best to make her rescue possible.
Bodies of foreign climbers who die attempting to summit mountains in Pakistan are typically recovered at the request of their families, but if the family declines a rescue, the remains are left at the spot where the climber died.
Dahlmeier was injured at an altitude of about 5,700 metres at about noon on Monday, according to her management team in Germany.
Military helicopters were on stand-by to assist in any rescue but were unable to deploy because of bad weather, Mr Faraq said.
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 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.
AP
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News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Tributes flow for Olympic champion, 31, killed in horror climbing accident
Double Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier has died aged 31 following a horror mountaineering accident. The former German biathlete's management announced her heartbreaking death on Thursday morning (AEST). Dahlmeier was climbing in the Pakistani Karakoram Mountains with a rope partner on Monday when falling rocks hit her at roughly 18,700 feet (5,700 metres). A rescue team had been deployed to find the three-time Olympic medallist, but was unable to locate her until Tuesday morning, The Sun reports. Now Dahlmeier's team have revealed she has been found dead after the search continued. A statement read that Dahlmeier has been assumed dead for two days and that recovering her body was not possible due to 'currently prevailing difficult conditions with rockfall and a change in the weather on Laila Peak.' Military helicopters had tried to reach where she fell but were unable to do so after the conditions at the altitude were described as 'extremely difficult'. Climbers had planned an attempted rescue before it was confirmed that Dahlmeier has died. Tributes for the Olympic hero have since flooded in. Bundesliga football club FC Schalke 04 wrote on X: 'With Laura Dahlmeier, a great athlete and a warm-hearted person has left us. 'Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with her family, friends, and the entire biathlon family. Rest in peace, Laura.' While the German Olympic Federation posted: 'With heavy hearts, we bid farewell to Laura Dahlmeier. Her sudden death leaves us speechless. 'She was more than an Olympic champion – she was a person with heart, conviction, and vision. Your story will live on, Laura.' Dahlmeier, an experienced mountaineer, had been in the north Pakistan region since the end of June and had already ascended the Great Trango Tower. Conditions in the area of her fall had been described as 'extremely harsh' for the past week, with rain, strong winds and thick clouds. Laila Peak is known to be a notoriously difficult climb, with only seven individuals reaching its summit. Dahlmeier won both her gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. She won them in the Sprint and Pursuit events while she also won a bronze in the Individual event. The German athlete retired from competing in May 2019 as she admitted she lacked the passion required to take part. Later that year she co-authored and released a children's book 'The Climate Gang: Laura Dahlmeier and friends working for nature'. She also entered the world of sports media as a pundit for the German broadcaster ZDF for the Biathlon World Cup.
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
Laura Dahlmeier, 2018 Winter Olympics biathlon gold medallist, dies climbing mountain in Pakistan
German biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has died on a mountain in northern Pakistan after a climbing accident, according to a local government spokesperson. Dahlmeier, a two-time Winter Olympic gold medallist, was ascending Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range on Monday when she was struck by falling rocks. She had been climbing with a partner who survived. Rescuers were able to confirm the 31-year-old's death but not retrieve the body because of unfavourable weather, said Faizullah Faraq, a spokesperson for the regional Gilgit-Baltistan government. Any final decision on retrieving the body would follow the wishes of Dahlmeier's family, he said. A statement on Dahlmeier's Instagram page said it had been her wish that nobody risk their life to recover her body after an accident. 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 in German sport, the Silver Laurel Leaf, shortly after the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, where she became the first woman to win the 7.5 kilometre sprint and 10km pursuit biathlon gold medals at one Games. Do you have a story idea about women in sport? Email us abcsport5050@ "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's death came two weeks after Norwegian Olympic ski cross bronze medallist Audun Grønvold died after being struck by lightning. Authorities launched a rescue mission after receiving a distress signal from Dahlmeier's climbing partner, Marina Eva, who managed to descend to base camp with help from rescuers on Tuesday. Dahlmeier's partner had tried for several hours to rescue her, but that was not possible because of the difficult terrain and persistent rockfall, the statement on Dahlmeier's Instagram page said. "Her partner, who could no longer hear any signs of life, eventually decided to leave the danger zone and resume her descent," according to the statement. It was Dahlmeier's express wish "that in a case like this, no-one should risk their life to recover her," the statement said. It said Dahlmeier's family thanked the rescue team and climbers, who did their best to make her rescue possible. Bodies of foreign climbers who die attempting to summit mountains in Pakistan are typically recovered at the request of their families, but if the family declines a rescue, the remains are left at the spot where the climber died. Dahlmeier was injured at an altitude of about 5,700 metres at about noon on Monday, according to her management team in Germany. Military helicopters were on stand-by to assist in any rescue but were unable to deploy because of bad weather, Mr Faraq said. 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 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. AP
7NEWS
2 days ago
- 7NEWS
Two-time Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier killed in Pakistan climbing accident
Double Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier has died in a climbing accident aged 31, her management and the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) confirmed to CNN Sports. The retired German biathlete was struck by falling rocks at around midday local time on Monday while climbing Laila Peak in Pakistan's Karakoram mountain range, her team said on Instagram. 'The DOSB and the whole of German sport mourn the loss of Laura Dahlmeier,' Thomas Weikert, president of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, said in a statement to CNN Sports. 'We are deeply shocked by the sudden and much too early death of this wonderful person. Our thoughts are with her family and friends and we will offer our support wherever we can. 'Laura was a role model and inspiration to so many of us in and out of sport. She always had clear goals in mind and pursued her dreams.' A rescue operation began on Monday after Dahlmeier's climbing partner, Marina Eva, sent out a distress signal. But due to low visibility and bad weather, the rescue operation had been unable to deploy its military helicopters, said Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the regional Gilgit-Baltistan government, per the Associated Press. Dahlmeier's team also said that the remoteness of the area meant that a rescue helicopter was only able to reach the scene of the accident and observe her on Tuesday morning. Dahlmeier, who was 31, made history at the 2018 Winter Olympics when she became the female biathlete ever to win gold in both the sprint and pursuit events at the same Winter Games. That success came a year after she became the first biathlete to win five gold medals at a single world championship. She retired from the sport in 2019 at the age of 25. 'Laura Dahlmeier leaves behind a legacy that goes far beyond medals: her dedication to sport, her passion for nature and her commitment to society make her an inspiring personality,' added Weikert in his statement. 'Her story remains. As a daughter, sister, friend, Olympian and biathlon legend. Laura will forever remain an integral part of Team Germany. We will miss her.'
