Rescue Mission Underway for Injured German Athlete on Pakistan’s Laila Peak
A rescue operation is underway for Laura Dahlmeier, a former German biathlon champion, who was seriously injured in a rockfall on a mountain in northern Pakistan earlier this week.
The incident occurred midday on Monday at an elevation of 5,700 meters on Laila Peak in the Karakoram range, as reported by Dahlmeier’s team. The 31-year-old was struck by falling rocks, and the remote location, along with the risk of further rockfalls, has prevented immediate assistance. Her climbing companion managed to raise the alarm after reaching safety.
Areeb Ahmed Mukhtar, a senior official in the Ghanche district, where the mountain is located, stated that a helicopter evacuation was deemed unfeasible. “The conditions at that altitude are highly treacherous. A team of foreign climbers will attempt a ground rescue today,” he said.
On Wednesday, four climbers—three Americans and a German—began the ground operation to reach Dahlmeier. A reconnaissance flight earlier confirmed that the experienced mountaineer had sustained severe injuries, and no signs of life were observed.
Muhammad Ali, a local disaster management official, noted that adverse weather, including rain, strong winds, and heavy cloud cover, has persisted in the area for the past week.
Dahlmeier, an accomplished climber, had been in the region since late June and had previously summited the Great Trango Tower.
The International Biathlon Union expressed concern, stating they were “thinking of Dahlmeier and her family, hoping for positive news soon.” Dahlmeier secured seven world championship golds and became the first woman to win both the sprint and pursuit events at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
After retiring from professional biathlon in 2019 at age 25, she transitioned to commentary for German broadcaster ZDF and pursued mountaineering. According to her team, she is a certified mountain and ski guide and participates in rescue operations.
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