GILGIT – German Olympic gold medallist and former biathlete Laura Dahlmeier has died in a tragic landslide while attempting to summit Laila Peak, a 6,096-meter mountain in northern Pakistan.
The fatal incident occurred earlier this week when the renowned climber was struck by a rockfall during her ascent. The government launched a large-scale rescue operation in the Hushy Valley, Ghanche district, after two German climbers were caught in the landslide.
Dahlmeier’s climbing partner, Marina Eva, was successfully rescued on Tuesday, according to Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq.
Laura Dahlmeier, 30, made history at the Winter Olympics as the first female biathlete to win both the sprint and pursuit events in a single Games. She retired from professional sports in 2019.
This tragedy comes shortly after another fatal incident in Pakistan’s mountains, where a Czech climber fell into a ravine near the Nanga Parbat base camp. The 46-year-old was part of an international team attempting to climb the 8,126-meter peak, infamously known as Pakistan’s “Killer Mountain.”
Meanwhile, Iftikhar Hussain Sadpara, a well-known Pakistani mountaineer, also lost his life this month after being caught in an avalanche on K2.
Ongoing heavy monsoon rains have triggered widespread flooding and landslides in Pakistan’s northern regions, severely hampering rescue efforts. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at least 288 people have lost their lives in flood and rain-related incidents this monsoon season.
