Rescuers race to reach injured German Olympian stranded on a Pakistan mountain

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Efforts to rescue German Olympic gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier, who is stranded on Laila Peak in northern Pakistan after a mountaineering accident, resumed on Wednesday. Local mountaineers and porters are working against time and challenging weather conditions to reach her, according to Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the regional Gilgit-Baltistan government.

Dahlmeier, a former winner of the women’s biathlon World Cup, was injured by falling rocks while climbing the peak. The rescue operation is also being supported by climbers, including two Americans attempting the same ascent. However, military helicopters have been unable to deploy due to low visibility and bad weather.

Once rescued, Dahlmeier, 31, will be taken to the city of Skardu for medical treatment. The rescue mission was initiated after receiving a distress signal from Dahlmeier’s climbing partner, Marina Eva, who managed to descend to base camp with the help of rescuers.

Dahlmeier sustained serious injuries at an altitude of about 5,700 meters and her condition remains unclear. Despite the challenges posed by the weather, rescuers are determined to reach her on the high slopes of Laila Peak.

Accidents are common in the region due to avalanches and sudden weather changes, with hundreds of climbers attempting to scale mountains in northern Pakistan every year. Additionally, above-normal seasonal rains have led to flash floods and landslides, with several Pakistani tourists reported missing near the district of Chilas.