German Olympic gold medalist and world-renowned mountaineer Laura Dahlmeier has been seriously injured during an expedition on Laila Peak in northern Pakistan.
The 31-year-old athlete, also known for winning the 2017 Biathlon World Cup, was hurt by falling rocks while climbing at an altitude of approximately 5,700 meters in the Karakoram mountain range on Monday.
Dahlmeier was accompanied by fellow climber Marina Eva during the attempt. Both were using alpine climbing techniques when the rockfall occurred.
Eva survived the incident and successfully descended to base camp with assistance from local rescuers on Tuesday.
Due to the remote location of the accident, helicopters were unable to reach the injured climber immediately. A helicopter managed to reach the accident site only on the morning of July 29.
Search and rescue efforts led by Pakistani military helicopters were launched shortly after the accident was reported.
Officials from the Gilgit-Baltistan region confirmed that a new rescue operation would begin again at dawn on Wednesday, as previous attempts were called off at sunset due to safety concerns.
Laura’s current condition remains critical, but efforts to bring her down safely are continuing.
The incident adds to a growing list of accidents in Pakistan’s mountainous regions, which attract hundreds of climbers each year.
Harsh weather conditions, rockfalls, and avalanches pose frequent risks to mountaineers.
The region has also been facing extreme weather, including flash floods and landslides after heavier-than-usual monsoon rains.
At least 20 local tourists remain missing following recent floods near Chilas, further complicating rescue and recovery operations across the area.