The body of double Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier is likely to be left on top of the mountain in Pakistan where an accident tragically claimed her life.
Dahlmeier, 31, was struck by a sudden rockfall at an altitude of around 5,700 metres at Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountains on Monday.
Her mountaineering partner alerted rescue services and an international recovery team was dispatched to the area. However, a helicopter only reached the remote site on Tuesday morning, and rescue workers were unable to reach the German athlete.
The search continued on Wednesday, when she was found dead.
Local authorities have since confirmed they are likely to respect Dahlmeier’s ‘written wishes’ and leave her body behind on the mountain.
‘It was Laura’s clear and written wishes that in an instance such as this, no one should risk their own lives in order to rescue her,’ a statement on her Instagram read. ‘Her wish was that in this case her body should be left behind on the mountain.
‘This is also in line with the express wishes of the relatives, who have requested Laura’s last wishes be respected.’
Authorities have not officially confirmed that her body will remain on the mountain.
In an article by Bild, local government spokeperson Faizullah Faraq was quoted as saying: ‘We were told that Laura Dahlmeier’s wish was to leave her body on the mountain after her death. “I want to be buried in the mountains, that’s my dream.”
‘That was her dream. Now her wish has been fulfilled, so we are considering whether we can leave her body there.’
Dahlmeier had been climbing in the Hushe Valley with her mountaineering partner Marina Eva Krauss when she was struck by the falling rocks. Her representatives added that she most likely died instantly, while Krauss was unharmed.
Dahlmeier won two gold medals and a bronze in biathlon at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang and is also a seven-time world champion. She retired in 2019.
Biathlon is one of the most demanding sports on the Winter Olympic Programme, and combines cross country skiing with rifle marksmanship.
Events see competitors ski a set course before stopping at designated shooting ranges to fire at targets with a rifle. Missing a target incurs a penalty.
‘The International Biathlon Union is deeply saddened to learn that former Olympic and World Champion Laura Dahlmeier has passed away at the age of 31 following a tragic mountaineering accident in Pakistan,’ the sport’s governing body said in a statement.
‘Laura was one of the greatest athletes to grace biathlon and her loss is felt deeply by everyone in biathlon, the wider German sport family and beyond.
‘Laura’s energy and passion for life touched so many around the world. Her legacy, both within biathlon and beyond, will never be forgotten and will continue to inspire countless athletes and adventurers for generations to come.’
IOC President Kirsty Coventry added in another statement: ‘The news about the passing of two-time Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier in a terrible mountaineering accident is deeply shocking for all of us in the Olympic Movement.
‘She lost her life in her beloved mountains. Laura made history at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics as the first female biathlete to win sprint and pursuit gold at the same Games edition. She will be remembered forever.
‘Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very difficult time.’
Dahlmeier’s close friend, professional mountaineer Thomas Huber, paid a touching tribute to the athlete by sharing a photo of her red tent.
‘Ahhh Laura, your tent is empty now, but your energy shines through those mountains for eternity,’ Huber, who was part of the rescue team, wrote on Instagram. ‘All the pain over the experience can hardly be described in words.’
