GILGIT, Pakistan: German Olympic gold medallist and world champion biathlete Laura Dahlmeier has died in a climbing accident on Laila Peak, a remote mountain in the Karakoram range, in northern Pakistan on July 28, the Gilgit-Baltistan government officials confirmed on Wednesday.
A major rescue operation launched by Pakistani authorities after a rockfall struck 31-year-old Dahlmeier ended in tragedy, as poor weather and difficult terrain hampered efforts to save her.
Faizullah Faraq, spokesperson for the Gilgit-Baltistan government, said, “The rescue team has confirmed that Laura has died.”
The announcement came after days of intensive rescue efforts to locate and evacuate Dahlmeier, who was injured during a climbing expedition on Monday, July 28.
The incident occurred at an altitude of approximately 5,700 metres when a sudden rockfall struck Dahlmeier during her ascent.
Her climbing partner, Marina Eva, managed to descend safely and alert local authorities.
According to the Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson, military helicopters and expert mountaineering teams were immediately deployed to the site, but poor weather conditions and the difficult terrain severely hindered the operation.
A helicopter reconnaissance flight on Tuesday evening failed to locate any signs of life at the accident site.
Two elite teams, comprising experienced climbers from Germany and the United States, were airlifted to the mountain to assist in the search.
The group included Thomas Huber (Germany), Thomas M.C. Korea (USA), Jackson Marvell, and Alan Russia.
“They were lifted from Latok and Masherbrum base camps,” spokesperson Faraq said. Two local porters also joined the operation.
Laila Peak, located in the Hushe Valley of Ghanche district, is considered one of the most beautiful yet least summited peaks in the Karakoram range.
According to available data, the mountain has only been successfully climbed twice, with just seven persons known to have reached its summit.
Dahlmeier, 31, retired from professional biathlon in 2019 after securing two Olympic gold medals and seven world championship titles.
She had taken up mountaineering in recent years and had successfully climbed the Great Trango Tower earlier this season.
Her management team said she was climbing Laila Peak in alpine style when she was hit by falling rocks.
The region, though popular among international climbers for its dramatic landscapes and relative solitude compared to the Himalayas, has witnessed several fatal accidents in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, Czech mountaineer Klára Kolouchová died after falling into a ravine on Nanga Parbat.
Days later, Pakistani climber Iftikhar Sadpara was killed in an avalanche on K2, while three foreign climbers were injured in separate incidents.
