Laura Dahlmeier, a gold medal biathlon Olympian who represented Team Germany in the 2014 and 2018 winter games, passed away late last month after being caught in a rockfall in the Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan. She was 31 years old.
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In a July 30 Instagram post, the Olympian’s loved ones revealed that she and her climbing partner were at Laila Peak when the rockfall accident occurred. “Laura Dahlmeier and her climbing partner were descending from the Summit of Laila Peak,” the post in German reads. “During a rappel maneuver at approximately 5,700 meters, Laura Dahleier was struck by falling rocks.”
The post revealed that Dahlmeier’s climbing partner wasn’t injured in the rockfall and immediately called emergency services. A rescue operation was quickly initiated.
“Attempts to rescue her by her climbing partner were made for hours,” the post continued. “But the difficulty of the terrain and the ongoing rockfall made it impossible.”
Unfortunately, the rescue team was unable to get a rescue helicopter to the area until the next morning. Rescuers were finally able to spot Dahlmeirer, but an aerial rescue could not be carried out.
“A ground rescue was also not possible due to the ongoing risk of rockfall and the objective hazards at the accident site,” the post revealed.
Rescuers Were Forced to Leave Laura Dahlmeier’s Body at the Accident Site
The rescuers believe that Laura Dahlmeier passed away immediately after the rockfall.
Unfortunately, they were forced to leave the Olympian’s body at the accident site because of the “difficult conditions.” This included more rockfalls and sudden changes in weather.
“It was Laura Dahlmeier’s express and written wish that, in a case like this, no one should risk their life to recover her,” the Instagram post noted. “Her wish was to leave her body on the mountain, in this case. This is also in the interest of her relatives, who also expressly request that Laura’s final wishes be respected.”
Dahlmeier and some friends climbed the Great Trango Tower weeks before she headed to Laila Peak.