The search for German former biathlete Laura Dahlmeier in the Pakistani mountains is hampered by bad weather and strong winds. The two-time Olympic champion fell during a climb in the Karakoram Mountains on Monday and has been missing since.
The 31-year-old Dahlmeier was climbing the 6,069-meter high Leila Peak on Monday. About 350 meters below the summit, she was hit by falling rocks. Her climbing partner immediately raised the alarm.
A helicopter had already determined on Tuesday that Dahlmeier “must be at least seriously injured”. The search for Dahlmeier resumed on Wednesday, but helicopters cannot take to the air due to the bad weather. There is a ground search underway.
Dahlmeier is an experienced mountaineer and has diplomas as a mountain and ski guide. She is familiar with the dangers of alpinism, as her ex-boyfriend Robert Grasegger died a few years ago while climbing.
Dahlmeier was crowned world champion seven times in biathlon. The German won two gold medals at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018. She stopped a year later at the age of 25, partly to devote herself to alpinism.
