After a two-day rescue operation, sad certainty has now been confirmed. Former German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier has died in a mountaineering accident in Pakistan. Her management told the German Press Agency (dpa). Austrian athletes were also close friends with Dahlmeier.

Pakistani authorities subsequently also announced Dahlmeier's death, citing the rescue team. The 31-year-old had been hit by a rockfall on Laila Peak in Pakistan's Karakoram Mountains. Mountaineering and climbing were her great passion.

Rescue operation discontinued

The rescue operation was unsuccessful and therefore discontinued, management announced. A helicopter had flown over the accident site the previous day and found no signs of life. Based on the rope partner's description of the severity of her injuries, it was assumed that Dahlmeier died instantly, they said.

Recovering the body was considered too risky for rescue workers under the current difficult conditions, including rockfall and a sudden change in the weather on Laila Peak, and was therefore not feasible. A helicopter rescue was also not possible.

No rescue for now - at Laura's request

"It was Laura Dahlmeier's express and written will that in a case like this, no one should risk their life to rescue her," management said."Her wish was to leave her body on the mountain in this case. This is also in the spirit of her relatives, who also expressly request that Laura's final wishes be respected."

"We are saying goodbye to a wonderful person," the family said, thanking the rescuers."Laura enriched our lives and the lives of many with her warm and straightforward manner. She showed us that it's worth standing up for your dreams and goals and always staying true to yourself."

The Garmisch-Partenkirchen native was climbing with her climbing partner in alpine style - with as little luggage as possible and without expedition logistics - when the rockfall struck at around 5,700 meters on Monday around noon local time.

Accident while abseiling

According to management, the accident occurred during a rappelling maneuver. Her uninjured rope partner immediately called emergency services, and a rescue operation was initiated immediately.

According to reports, her climbing partner tried to rescue Dahlmeier for many hours. However, this was impossible due to the difficult terrain and the ongoing rockfall. After her climbing partner could no longer detect any signs of life, she decided to retreat from the danger zone and continue her descent during the night.

The climbing partner was accompanied to base camp by climbers who had joined her. She is uninjured and is receiving on-site care.

Traveling in Pakistan since the end of June

Dahlmeier was climbing the 6,069-meter-high Laila Peak with her climbing partner when she was hit by a rockfall at approximately 5,700 meters around noon (local time) on Monday. The two were climbing solo, using alpine style, meaning they were climbing with as little gear as possible and without expedition logistics. Her climbing partner immediately called for emergency assistance, and a rescue operation was initiated immediately.

The seven-time world champion had reportedly been traveling in the region with friends since the end of June. She had already successfully climbed the Great Trango Tower (6,287 m) on July 8th. Laila Peak was the second planned summit goal. Laila Peak is located near K2, the second highest mountain in the world, near the border with China. The region attracts mountaineers every year, but the risks from avalanches and severe weather are high.

The Garmisch-Partenkirchen native was a state-certified mountain and ski guide, an active member of the mountain rescue service, and was considered an experienced and risk-conscious mountaineer.

Olympic gold and early retirement

With two Olympic gold medals in Pyeongchang in 2018 and a total of seven World Championship titles, Dahlmeier was the most successful German biathlete of the past decade. She made a particularly strong impression at the 2017 World Championships in Hochfilzen, winning five gold medals and one silver medal in six starts. She also won the overall World Cup in the 2016/17 season.

In May 2019, the Upper Bavarian unexpectedly ended her career as a competitive athlete at the age of 25. At the time, she stated that she no longer had any sporting goals as a biathlete. In addition to her mountaineering and climbing tours, Dahlmeier has since worked as a biathlon expert for ZDF.

Austrian mountain comrades mourn

Former Salzburg ski mountaineer Jakob Herrmann received the news on Wednesday at his hut in Werfenweng. In 2020, he and Laura Dahlmeier spent nine days hiking along the war zones in the Dolomites on the"Alpfront Trail." "I got to know her as a very lovely woman," says Herrmann. Epic photos were taken against backdrops like the Three Peaks, which demonstrate her great enthusiasm for the mountains. Herrmann:"Since then, we've been in regular contact. I was very impressed that she retired from biathlon after her many successes and then started something completely different. We had a lot of fun."

Austrian ski mountaineer and good friend of Dahlmeier, Johanna Hiemer, reacted to the tragedy in a post on Instagram.

Miriam Neureuther, a fellow biathlon athlete and also from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, recalled their time together in kindergarten and wrote:"You were an extraordinary athlete, the likes of whom will certainly not be found anywhere else in this world!"

Laura Dahlmeier already competed with Tyrolean Lisa Hauser at the Junior World Championships in Obertilliach in 2013.

The International Biathlon Union (IBU), based in Anif, expressed its sorrow and condolences to Dahlmeier's family in a statement."Throughout her career and beyond, Laura inspired countless people around the world with her willingness to push boundaries and accept challenges," it continued. Her motto,"If I do something, I do it properly," which is also the title of one of her books, perfectly describes Dahlmeier's personality. The IBU concluded:"Her legacy in biathlon and beyond will never be forgotten and will continue to inspire generations of athletes and adventure seekers." Ski Austria, the Austrian Ski Federation, expressed its condolences with a simple black-and-white portrait of Dahlmeier set to Herbert Pixner's melody"Pfiati" on social media.

The Biathlon World Cup venue Hochfilzen remembered the 2017 World Championship heroine:"Laura was not just a champion, she was a force of nature—calm yet fierce, focused yet full of soul. Her smile lit up every stadium. Bye, Laura. You will always be a part of Hochfilzen. Rest in peace!"