German biathlete confirmed dead in Pakistan climbing accident
The body of Olympic gold medallist Laura Dahlmeier will be left on Laila Peak, honouring her final wish
Dahlmeier, an Olympic gold medallist, was ascending Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range on Monday when she was struck by falling rocks while climbing with a partner who survived.
Rescuers were able to confirm Dahlmeier’s death on Wednesday but could not retrieve the body because of unfavourable weather, said Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the regional Gilgit-Baltistan government.
Any final decision on retrieving the body would follow the wishes of Dahlmeier’s family, Faraq said. A statement on Dahlmeier’s social media page said it had been her wish that nobody risk their life to recover her body after an accident.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier offered his condolences to Dahlmeier’s parents, writing that she “was an exceptional sportswoman”. He recalled that he presented her with the highest honour in German sport, the Silver Laurel Leaf, shortly after she won her first Olympic gold medal in 2018.
“Laura Dahlmeier was an ambassador for our country in the world, a role model for peaceful, cheerful and fair coexistence across borders,” he said.