What happened to Laura Dahlmeier? Olympic champion dies three years after boyfriend’s tragic accident

Two-time Winter Olympics gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier passed away following a mountaineering accident in Pakistan, her representatives confirmed in a press release on Wednesday, July 30.

On Tuesday, the German biathlete’s team revealed that she was hit by falling rocks on Laila Peak (6,069 meters) in the Karakoram range. While a rescue operation was initiated, the announcement stated that no one could reach Dahlmeier. Her reps mentioned that “the experienced mountaineer was at least seriously injured” and “there were no signs of life.”

Laura Dahlmeier’s team issued another statement on Wednesday to announce her death. The follow-up release revealed that the German Olympian was presumed dead based on the helicopter’s findings and her climbing partner’s description of the severity of her injuries. Ultimately, the rescue operation was called off on the evening of July 29.

 

 

 

 

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The statement from her official Instagram handle read (translated from German):

“Laura Dahlmeier died on 28 July in a mountain accident on Laila Peak (6,069 metres) in Pakistan’s Karakoram range. A recovery operation was launched but ultimately called off on the evening of 29 July.”

Three years before her demise, Laura Dahlmeier experienced a personal tragedy. Her ex-boyfriend and mountaineer, Robert Grasegger, died in an unfortunate avalanche accident in the Patagonia region on Argentina’s border with Chile, according to DW.

Laura Dahlmeier was hit by falling rocks while descending from the top of Laila Peak

 

 

 

 

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While descending from the summit of Laila Peak on the morning of July 28, Laura Dahlmeier was struck by falling rocks during an abseil at an altitude of around 5,700 meters. Her climbing partner, who was uninjured, notified the emergency services.

The statement noted that a recovery operation was initiated immediately. Laura Dahlmeier was spotted during a helicopter flyover on the morning of July 29, but no signs of life were detectable. Once presumed dead, the rescue operation was called off due to poor weather.

While the reps acknowledged the difficulty of recovering Dahlmeier’s body due to adverse conditions, they added (translated from German):

“It was Laura Dahlmeier’s express and written will that in a case like this, no one should risk their life to recover her. Her wish was to leave her body behind on the mountain in this case. This is also in line with the wishes of her relatives, who also expressly request that Laura’s final wishes be respected.”

The Instagram post also confirmed that Laura’s mountaineering partner managed to descend to base camp with the help of rescuers. In another post, Dahlmeier’s team remembered the celebrated biathlete and wrote:

“Farewell to a wonderful person! Laura enriched the lives of many, including our own, with her warm and straightforward manner. She showed us that it’s worth standing up for your dreams and goals and always staying true to yourself.”

It continues:

“We are deeply grateful, dear Laura, that we were allowed to share our lives with you. Our shared moments and memories give us the strength and courage to continue on our path.”

Many paid tribute to Laura after her tragic death, including the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who hailed her as “an exceptional sportswoman,” per DW.