Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier's distraught climbing partner describes heartbreaking decision to leave body on Pakistan mountain
Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier's climbing partner has spoken of the heartbreaking moment she was forced to leave the biathlon star’s body behind on a Pakistani mountain.
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Dahlmeier, who won gold in the sprint and pursuit biathlon events at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, died aged 31 after being struck by a rock at an altitude of around 18,700ft on Monday.
She had been mountaineering on Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range with Marina Eva Krauss, who said it was 'impossible' to reach her after the horror accident.
Ms Krauss said at press conference attended by AFP on Thursday: "I saw Laura being hit by a huge rock and then being thrown against the wall. And from that moment on, she didn’t move again.
"It was impossible for me to get there safely. It was clear to me the only way to help her was to call a helicopter. She didn’t move, she didn’t show any signs [of movement]. I called out to her, but there was no response.
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"She only had a chance if help arrived immediately."
Ms Krauss added that Dahlmeier's life may have been spared had they embarked on their trek earlier.
"If we had been there half an hour earlier, we would've made it down safely," she said.
Dahlmeier's body was recovered two days later after a search effort prompted by Ms Krauss' distress call.
Rescue helicopters had been dispatched immediately to locate the missing Dahlmeier but they were unable to find her due to low visibility and constant rain, Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the regional Gilgit-Baltistan government, previously said.
Tributes flooded in for the star following the news of her death.
Bundesliga football club FC Schalke 04 wrote 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."
The German Olympic Federation added: "With heavy hearts, we bid farewell to Laura Dahlmeier. Her sudden death leaves us speechless.
"She was more than an Olympic champion – she was a person with heart, conviction, and vision. Your story will live on, Laura."
The German athlete was a two-time Olympic champion and seven-time world champion in biathlon before retiring from competitive action in May 2019.