Laura Dahlmeier: Ex-biathlete died after salvage happiness

Now it’s sad certainty: Laura Dahlmeier is dead. This confirmed her management on Wednesday afternoon to ZDF. She was only 31 years old. “On the basis of the knowledge from the helicopter surge and the rope partners’ descriptions to the severity of the injuries, the immediate death of Laura Dahlmeier can be assumed,” says the management.

The former world-class biathlete. Dahlmeier was therefore recorded by a rockfall around noon local time at 5,700 meters in the Karakorum Mountains.

The recovery of the body for the rescue workers under the currently prevailing difficult conditions is associated with too high risk and “not feasible”, the statement continues. In addition, it was her “express and written will” that in such a case nobody should risk his life in order to recover her. Her wish was to leave her body in the mountain. This also corresponds to the will of the relatives.

Dahlmeier had been on the alpine style with “her rope partner” when the accident happened. The companion immediately made an emergency call, but the salvage was extremely difficult due to the extreme height and seclusion of the area. Nobody could penetrate Dahlmeier until Wednesday.

Because of the remote location, a rescue helicopter could not reach the scene of the accident until Tuesday morning. During a overflight, the rescuers already found that the experienced climber was at least seriously injured, and signs of life were not recognizable.

An international mountain rescue team – including the famous mountaineer Thomas Huber (58) – coordinated the complicated recovery. On Tuesday evening, the search had to be canceled due to the onset of darkness, and the salvage mission was then continued on Wednesday morning.

The native of Garmisch-Partenkirchner was a state-certified mountain and ski guide and active member of the mountain rescue service. She was considered an experienced and risk -conscious mountaineer who knows the dangers of the mountains very well.