German athlete Laura Dahlmeier has died in a climbing accident in Pakistan, officials say

PESHAWAR Pakistan AP German biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has died on a mountain peak in northern Pakistan following a climbing accident and efforts are underway to retrieve her body a local administration spokesman explained Wednesday Rescuers have validated Dahlmeier s death on Laila Peak mentioned Faizullah Faraq a spokesman for the regional Gilgit-Baltistan regime Dahlmeier an Olympic gold medalist was climbing Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range when she was struck Monday by falling rocks Dahlmeier s body will be brought to the city of Skardu when it is retrieved by rescuers Faraq declared German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier offered his condolences to Dahlmeier s parents writing that she was an exceptional sportswoman He recalled that he presented her with the highest honor on German sport the Silver Laurel Leaf shortly after she won her first Olympic gold medal in Laura Dahlmeier was an ambassador for our country in the world a role model for peaceful cheerful and fair coexistence across borders he revealed Local functionaries launched the rescue mission Monday after receiving a distress signal from Dahlmeier s climbing partner Marina Eva who managed to descend to base camp with help from rescuers Tuesday Dahlmeier was injured at an altitude of about meters feet around noon Monday according to her management unit in Germany German broadcaster ZDF stated she suffered serious injuries in a rockfall Hundreds of climbers try to scale mountains in northern Pakistan every year and accidents are common because of avalanches and sudden weather changes The region has also been battered by above-normal seasonal rains triggering flash floods and landslides Since last week at least Pakistani tourists have been missing after floodwaters swept them away near the northern district of Chilas Source