Laura Dahlmeier died in a mountain accident. Her rope partner tried for hours to recover the Olympic champion.
Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier died in Pakistan during an expedition after being hit by a rockfall. Her management announced in a statement how the hours after the accident unfolded.
“Laura Dahlmeier and her rope partner were descending from the summit of Laila Peak in the Pakistani Karakoram Mountains on the morning of July 28,” the statement said.
Laura Dahlmeier died in a mountain accident at the age of 31
Rescue was impossible
It continued: “During a rappel maneuver at around 5700 meters, Laura Dahlmeier was hit by a rockfall. Her uninjured rope partner immediately sent out an emergency call, and a rescue operation was initiated immediately.”
The rope partner then “tried for many hours” to carry out a rescue herself, but this was impossible “due to the severity of the terrain and the continuing rockfall”.
No signs of life from Dahlmeier
“After the rope partner was unable to detect any signs of life, she decided to retreat from the danger zone and continue her descent during the night,” the statement said.
On the morning of July 29, Dahlmeier was then spotted during a flyover by a military helicopter, but there were no signs of life. A rescue from the air was not possible “due to technical and mountain rescue limitations of the helicopter”.
“To assume Laura Dahlmeier’s immediate death”
“A terrestrial rescue was also not possible due to the ongoing risk of rockfall and the objective dangers at the accident site,” the management explained.
“Based on the findings from the helicopter overflight and the rope partner’s descriptions of the severity of the injuries, Laura Dahlmeier’s immediate death is to be assumed,” the statement said.
The rope partner was accompanied to the base camp by acclimatized mountaineers who had ascended to her. She is uninjured and is being cared for on site.