Two-time Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier, 31, dead after horror mountain accident

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier has tragically died following a horrific accident while mountaineering in Pakistan. Dahlmeier, 31, was hit by rockfall in the Karakoram mountains at around 12pm on Monday, her management say.

The German had retired from competitive biathlon aged 25 in 2019 to pursue her passion for mountaineering. At the time of the accident, Dahlmeier was at an altitude of approximately 5,700 metres.

Dahlmeier's mountaineering partner, Marina Eva, immediately sent out a distress signal and an international team was dispatched in search for her. But due to the accident taking place in a remote area, a helicopter didn't reach the site until Tuesday morning.

Rescue workers struggled to reach where they believed the retired athlete to be because of the risk of falling rocks. On Wednesday, her management confirmed that she'd passed away.

"Based on the findings from the helicopter overflight and the rope partner's description of the severity of her injuries, it can be assumed that Laura Dahlmeier died immediately," they said.

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"Recovering the body is too risky for the rescue workers under the current difficult conditions with rockfall and a change in the weather on Laila Peak and is not feasible. Her wish was to leave her body on the mountain in this case.

"This is also in the interest of her relatives, who also expressly request that Laura's final wishes be respected. We bid farewell to a wonderful person. Laura enriched our lives and the lives of many with her warm and straightforward manner.

"She showed us that it's worth standing up for your own dreams and goals and always staying true to yourself. We are deeply grateful, dear Laura, that we were allowed to share in your life. Our shared memories give us strength and courage to continue on our path.

Dahlmeier won her two gold medals at the Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea in 2018. She became the first female biathlete in history to win sprint and pursuit events at the same Olympics.

The Baravia-born star also claimed a bronze in the individual event at those Games. In May 2019, Dahlmeier announced her retirement.

Tributes for the Olympic champion are flooding in. The German Olympic Sports Confederation expressed their condolences in an emotional statement.

"With heavy hearts, we bid farewell to Laura Dahlmeier, her sudden death leaves us speechless," it read. "She was more than an Olympic champion - she was a person with heart, conviction, and vision. Your story will live on, Laura."

German football club Schalke posted on X: "With Laura Dahlmeier, a great athlete and a warm-hearted person has left us. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with her family, friends, and the entire biathlon family. Rest in peace, Laura."