German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier, 31, who had won two Olympic gold medals, died tragically in a mountaineering accident on Pakistan’s Karakoram mountain range’s Laila Peak. She was ascending at about 5,700 meters on July 28, 2025, when she got hit by falling rocks. On July 30, 2025, her management team and the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) acknowledged her death. Her official Facebook profile then posted additional tributes.
Intense rain, high winds, and little visibility were among the severe weather conditions that affected rescue efforts. The risk of rockfalls made it difficult for rescuers to approach Dahlmeier safely, and a helicopter didn’t arrive at the scene until the morning of July 29.
Laura Dahlmeier’s accomplishments:
- Olympic Medals: two golds in the sprint and pursuit events and one bronze in the individual event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games
- World Championships: seven gold medals, including five at the 2017 Hochfilzen, Austria, Biathlon World Championships – World Cup: 2016–17 season overall winner
Tributes:
Dahlmeier is “an ambassador for our country around the world and a role model for peaceful, joyful, and fair coexistence across borders,” according to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Dahlmeier was honored by the German Olympic Sports Confederation, and her Facebook page sent her condolences, stating, “Saying goodbye to a great person. Laura has enriched our lives and the lives of many with her warm and straightforward manner… Farewell to a wonderful person!”.