Laura Dahlmeier mysterious death: How did the 31-year-old Olympic Biathlon star die in Pakistan?

In a tragic incident, double Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has died after a mountaineering accident in Pakistan. The 31-year-old German was caught in rockfall during an expedition in the Karakoram mountains on Monday, reported BBC.

Laura Dahlmeier's climbing partner, Marina Eva, called emergency services after the accident, which occurred at about 5,700 metres (18,700 feet). Rescue teams, containing expert climbers from Germany and the United States, immediately began a rescue mission after they received information. But their searches were hindered by adverse weather conditions.

Dahlmeier's management company confirmed on Wednesday that she had died. "A recovery operation was launched but ultimately called off on the evening of 29 July," her representatives told Germany's Die Welt newspaper.


Her management said that Dahlmeier had likely died on 28 July - the day of the accident.

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"It was Laura Dahlmeier's express and written will that in a case like this, no-one should risk their life to recover her," they said.

"It was her wish to leave her body behind on the mountain in this case. This is also in line with the wishes of her relatives."

Laura Dahlmeier's cause of death

Laura Dahlmeier was found dead after a climbing accident in Pakistan. The 31-year-old German was found after two days of intense searching, which was complicated by the area where the accident had occurred.

According to Marca, Laura Dahlmeier's location was at an altitude of 5,700 meters which made the rescue operation difficult. According to DPA and the public television network ZDF, due to the darkness and the complicated access where the rocks fell on the athlete's body the rescue process was difficult, her management agency confirmed.

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Today, a four-person search team had gone out to try their luck and find Laura, but the search ended in tragedy when they found the lifeless body of the seven-time world champion.

"On July 28, Laura Dahlmeier was climbing alpine style with her rope partner when she was hit by falling rocks. The accident occurred around noon local time at an altitude of approximately 5,700 meters. Her climbing partner immediately issued a distress call and a rescue operation was quickly launched. Due to the remoteness of the area, the rescue helicopter was unable to reach the accident site until the morning of July 29. An international mountain rescue team is currently coordinating the next steps for her recovery. In addition, they are being supported by experienced international mountaineers who are present in the region," the representatives said.

The German Olympic Sports Confederation said Dahlmeier was "more than an Olympic champion - she was someone with heart, attitude and vision".

International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry said Dahlmeier's death is "deeply shocking for all of us in the Olympic movement".

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She added: "She lost her life in her beloved mountains. She will be remembered forever."

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Dahlmeier was an "ambassador for our country around the world and a role model for peaceful, joyful and fair coexistence across borders".

Dahlmeier, a seasoned mountaineer, represented Germany at two Winter Olympics and made history at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games by claiming two gold medals and a bronze.

She became the first woman ever to win both the sprint and pursuit events at a single Olympics, and added to her legacy with 15 World Championship medals — including seven gold — before retiring from the sport in May 2019.