Tragic Mountain Mishap Claims Life of Ex-Biathlete Laura Dahlmeier
German Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier tragically lost her life on July 28, 2025, during a mountaineering expedition in the Karakoram range of Pakistan. The accident occurred at around 5,700 meters on Laila Peak (6,069 meters).
The incident happened while Dahlmeier, along with her rope partner Marina Krauss, was rappelling near the summit but below the peak of Laila Peak. Dahlmeier was struck by a large rockfall, which resulted in fatal head injuries. Krauss immediately sent a distress call, initiating the rescue operation.
Despite the efforts of an international team coordinating the rescue, adverse weather, dangerous conditions, and rockfalls hampered their efforts. A helicopter flew over the site on Tuesday morning, but no signs of life were detected. Given the high risk to rescuers, the recovery operation was eventually called off. Krauss, with assistance from other climbers including prominent mountaineer Thomas Huber, descended safely.
Laura Dahlmeier, who was 31 years old, was a two-time Olympic gold medalist and retired biathlete. She had unexpectedly ended her career as a competitive athlete at the age of 25 in May 2019. Since then, she had been active as a biathlon expert for the ZDF.
Prior to her mountaineering career, Dahlmeier particularly shone at the 2017 World Championships in Hochfilzen, where she won gold five times and silver once in six starts. In the 2016/17 season, she also won the overall World Cup. Her mountaineering exploits included successfully climbing the Great Trango Tower (6,287 m) on July 8, which was her second planned summit.
The tragedy has led to public mourning and recognition from the biathlon and mountaineering communities, emphasizing the risks faced even by highly experienced climbers.
[1] BBC News, "German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier dies in Pakistan mountaineering accident," July 28, 2025. [2] The Guardian, "Laura Dahlmeier: German biathlete dies in mountaineering accident in Pakistan," July 28, 2025. [3] Deutsche Welle, "Laura Dahlmeier: Biathlon-Olympiasiegerin stirbt beim Bergsteigen in Pakistan," July 28, 2025. [4] Reuters, "German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier dies in mountaineering accident in Pakistan," July 28, 2025.
While Laura Dahlmeier was participating in a mountaineering expedition, a tragic accident involving a rockfall occurred, causing fatal injuries. This incident took place during her climb of Laila Peak in the Karakoram range of Pakistan. The sports world, particularly the biathlon community, has been severely impacted by this devastating general-news event.
