German biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier died July 28 after being struck by falling rocks while mountaineering in Pakistan, according to her management team and regional government officials. The 31-year-old two-time Olympic gold medalist was climbing Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range when the accident occurred at approximately 18,700 feet.
The incident happened around noon local time on Monday as Dahlmeier ascended the more than 19,700-foot peak with her climbing partner Marina Eva. Eva, who was uninjured in the rockfall, immediately issued a distress call that launched a rescue mission. However, harsh weather conditions including low visibility, rain, strong winds and thick clouds prevented rescue helicopters from reaching the remote location until Tuesday morning.
Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the regional Gilgit-Baltistan government, confirmed that rescuers were able to verify Dahlmeier’s death on Wednesday but could not retrieve her body due to unfavorable weather conditions. Eva managed to descend to base camp with assistance from rescuers on Tuesday after attempting for several hours to reach her climbing partner.
According to Dahlmeier’s management team, she “must be assumed that Laura Dahlmeier died instantly” based on helicopter flyover findings and Eva’s account of the injury severity. A statement posted on Dahlmeier’s Instagram account indicated it had been her wish that nobody risk their life to recover her body after an accident.
Recovery efforts were officially abandoned Thursday due to dangerous conditions at the site. German mountaineer Thomas Huber, who participated in rescue attempts, told reporters that the team decided she should remain on the mountain because that was her wish. American climber Jackson Marvell, another rescue team member, indicated that recovering her body would involve incredible risks both on foot and by helicopter.
Dahlmeier made history at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, becoming the first female biathlete to win both sprint and pursuit gold medals at the same Games. She also earned bronze in the individual event at those Olympics. Her professional career included seven world championship gold medals, three silver and five bronze medals, along with 20 World Cup race victories and the overall World Cup title in the 2016-17 season.
The accomplished athlete made her professional debut during the 2012-13 IBU World Cup season at age 19 and represented Germany at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where she placed 13th in the individual event. Despite her success, Dahlmeier surprised the sports world by retiring from competitive biathlon in May 2019 at age 25, citing diminished passion for professional sports as her reason for stepping away.
Following her retirement, Dahlmeier transitioned to mountaineering and broadcasting, working as a commentator on biathlon events for German broadcaster ZDF. She became a state-certified mountain and ski guide in 2023 and volunteered for the Garmisch-Partenkirchen mountain rescue team. Born and raised in the Bavarian ski town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the German Alps, she had been in the Pakistan region since late June and had already successfully ascended the Great Trango Tower before attempting Laila Peak.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier offered condolences to Dahlmeier’s parents, describing her as an exceptional sportswoman and recalling that he presented her with the Silver Laurel Leaf, Germany’s highest sporting honor, shortly after her first Olympic gold medal in 2018. He characterized Dahlmeier as an ambassador for Germany and a role model for peaceful coexistence across borders.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry expressed deep shock at the news, stating that Dahlmeier made history at the Pyeongchang Olympics and would be remembered forever. The International Biathlon Union noted that her energy and passion for life touched many around the world, and her legacy would continue to inspire athletes and adventurers for generations.
Mountaineering accidents are common in northern Pakistan, where hundreds of climbers attempt to scale peaks annually. The region faces frequent avalanches and sudden weather changes, compounded by above-normal seasonal rains that trigger flash floods and landslides. Since the previous week, at least 20 Pakistani tourists had been reported missing after floodwaters swept them away near the northern district of Chilas.
According to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, flooding and other rain-related accidents have killed 288 people since the monsoon season began in late June. Bodies of foreign climbers who die attempting to summit mountains in Pakistan are typically recovered at family request, but if families decline recovery operations, the remains are left where the climber died.
