Concern for Laura Dahlmeier: The Olympic champion was hit by a rockfall while mountaineering in Pakistan. A helicopter overhead showed no signs of life.
Former top athlete and passionate mountaineer Laura Dahlmeier suffered a serious accident in the Karakoram Mountains in Pakistan. According to her management, the 31-year-old is"at least seriously injured."
The woman from Garmisch-Partenkirchen was hit by a rockfall on Monday around noon local time at an altitude of approximately 5,700 meters. Due to the ongoing high risk of rockfall, no one has been able to reach her yet. The search was called off for Tuesday at nightfall, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Tourism Authority announced. The search will resume the following morning.
No signs of life during helicopter overflight
At the time of the accident, Dahlmeier and her rope partner were climbing the 6,069-meter-high Laila Peak in alpine style, i.e. without fixed camps or additional Sherpa protection.
The rope partner immediately made an emergency call and the rescue operation was initiated immediately.
Due to the remoteness of the area, a rescue helicopter was only able to reach the scene of the accident on Tuesday morning. During the overflight, it was determined that the experienced mountaineer was at least seriously injured. No signs of life were detected.
An international mountain rescue team is coordinating the rescue, it added. The rescuers are being supported by experienced international mountaineers who are in the region.
Laila Peak is located near K2, the second-highest mountain in the world, near the border with China. The region attracts climbers every year, but the risks of avalanches and severe weather are high.
Second summit goal
The former biathlete 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 8. Laila Peak was the second planned summit goal.
The woman, who comes from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, is a state-certified mountain and ski guide, an active member of the mountain rescue service, and is considered an experienced alpinist.
Mountaineering and climbing are Dahlmeier's great passions. However, she sharply criticized the rampant mass tourism that has been rampant for years in the Himalayas, for example, on Mount Everest. The world's highest mountain, where queues regularly form beneath its summit, did not appeal to her, as was made clear in an interview.
For her, “a certain spirit of adventure, a certain solitude, choosing one’s own route, sporting spontaneity and flexibility are important when mountaineering,” Dahlmeier told the dpa news agency in early 2024.
Dahlmeier is one of Germany's most successful biathletes. She won seven gold, three silver, and five bronze medals at world championships, as well as the overall World Cup title for the 2016/17 season. At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, she won two gold medals and one bronze medal.
She ended her biathlon career in May 2019 at just 25 years old. In addition to her mountaineering and climbing tours, Dahlmeier recently worked as a TV expert for ZDF.
