Reports indicate that Laura Dahlmeyer, a German Olympic champion and two-time gold medalist, sustained serious injuries in a mountain climbing accident in Pakistan on Monday. On Tuesday morning, rescue teams were reportedly unable to reach her.
As noted by the German broadcaster ZDF, a helicopter sent to the scene where the 31-year-old was last located found no signs of life. Dahlmeyer was described as being in critical condition.
Faizullah Faraq, a spokesperson for the Pakistani government, mentioned that local residents assisted in moving Dahlmeier from the site.
According to her management team, the accident took place on July 28 when she was climbing with a partner. They were caught in a rock fall at an elevation of around 5,700 meters (approximately 18,700 feet). Dahlmeier’s partner contacted emergency services right away, which initiated a rescue operation. However, due to the remote location, the helicopter only arrived at the accident site the following morning.
This incident unfolded in the Karakoram mountain range of northern Pakistan.
Dahlmeier had an impressive career, retiring at 25 in 2019 shortly after securing her two Olympic golds at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. She excelled in both the 7.5km sprint and the 10km pursuit events, making history as the first female biathlete to achieve a double pursuit at those Games.
Additionally, she earned bronze medals in individual events of 15km and amassed a total of 15 medals (including seven golds) at World Championships throughout her career.
In her retirement statement from 2019, Dahlmeier reflected on her journey.
After leaving competitive biathlon, she collaborated on translating German children’s books, producing “Climate Gang: Laura Dahlmeyer and Friends Working for Nature,” and served as a commentator for ZDF during the 2019-20 Biathlon World Cup season.
