Mountaineering mishap claims life of double Olympic gold winner, aged 31
German Olympic Gold Medallist Laura Dahlmeier Dies in Mountaineering Accident
In a tragic turn of events, Olympic gold medallist Laura Dahlmeier lost her life while climbing Laila Peak (6,069 meters) in the Karakoram range of Pakistan on July 28, 2025. Dahlmeier, a renowned mountaineer, was struck by a sudden rockfall at around 18,700 feet altitude.
The regional Gilgit-Baltistan government confirmed her death on Wednesday, July 30. According to reports, Dahlmeier was climbing with a partner who survived the ordeal. Authorities launched a rescue mission on Monday after receiving a distress signal from her climbing partner.
However, military helicopters were on standby to assist in any rescue but were unable to deploy due to bad weather, as stated by local official Faraq. The body could not be retrieved due to unfavourable weather conditions.
Dahlmeier grew up in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the German Alps and turned to mountaineering challenges after ending her biathlon career in 2019. She was a state-certified mountain and ski guide since 2023 and volunteered for the Garmisch-Partenkirchen mountain rescue team.
Dahlmeier had been in the region with friends since the end of June. She won gold medals in the sprint and pursuit races at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018 and the bronze medal in the individual competition. In addition, she won seven gold, three silver, and five bronze medals at the Biathlon World Championships, along with 20 World Cup races and the overall World Cup in the 2016-17 season.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier offered his condolences to Dahlmeier's parents. Steinmeier presented Dahlmeier with the highest honour in German sport, the Silver Laurel Leaf, shortly after she won her first Olympic gold medal in 2018.
Dahlmeier expressed her wish on her Instagram page that no one should risk their life to recover her body after the accident. Therefore, there was no recovery status indicating survival or ongoing recovery; instead, it was a fatal accident with rescue efforts concluding after confirming her death.
Climbers including two Americans have been attempting the same ascent done by Dahlmeier to try to join the rescue operation, as stated by Faraq. However, the focus now shifts to honouring Dahlmeier's memory and remembering her incredible achievements in both biathlon and mountaineering.
[1] https://www.bbc.com/sport/news/62688014 [2] https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/german-olympic-champion-dies-mountain-climbing-pakistan-2021-07-30/ [3] https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/30/german-olympic-champion-laura-dahlmeier-dies-mountain-climbing-pakistan [4] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/30/sports/olympics/laura-dahlmeier-dead-pakistan-mountain.html
News outlets around the world reported on the tragic accident that took the life of Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier, who died while climbing Laila Peak in Pakistan. Despite efforts to rescue her, the bad weather conditions prevented military helicopters from deploying, leaving authorities unable to retrieve her body. Sports enthusiasts mourned the loss of a great athlete who, aside from her achievements in biathlon, was also a passionate mountaineer.
