Laura Dahlmeier’s final wish: 'Leave me on the mountain' as family confirms body will not be recovered

In a statement posted to her official Instagram page, her family confirmed that rescue teams will not attempt to recover her body from Laila Peak, where she died in a tragic rockfall accident last week.

“It was Laura Dahlmeier’s explicit and written wish that, in a case like this, no one should risk their life to recover her,” the statement read. “Her wish was to be left on the mountain in such a scenario. This is also in line with the wishes of her family, who expressly ask that Laura’s final wish be respected.”

The 31-year-old died on 28 July at around 5,700 metres while descending Laila Peak (6,069 m) in Pakistan’s Karakoram range. A rockfall struck her during an abseiling manoeuvre, according to earlier reports by local authorities and her climbing partner, who survived the incident and alerted emergency services.

A military helicopter later located Dahlmeier’s body, but extreme terrain and dangerous weather conditions made both aerial and terrestrial recovery impossible. Rescue efforts were officially called off on July 29.

According to the Instagram statement, rescuers deemed retrieval efforts too risky given “difficult conditions with rockfall and a change in weather at Laila Peak.” Her climbing partner attempted a recovery for several hours but was ultimately forced to retreat overnight for safety.

Dahlmeier had reportedly been climbing in the region since late June, successfully summiting the Great Trango Tower (6,287 m) earlier in July. The Laila Peak expedition was the second major goal of her trip.

Her family wrote: “We bid farewell to an extraordinary person. Laura enriched our lives and the lives of many others with her heartfelt and straightforward nature. She showed us that it’s worth fighting for your dreams and staying true to yourself.”

Tributes have poured in from across the world. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called her “an ambassador for our country... a role model for peaceful, cheerful and fair coexistence across borders.” Olympic luger Felix Loch wrote, “Suddenly time stands still. We’re all thinking of you, Laura.”

Dahlmeier retired from professional sport in 2019 after winning two Olympic gold medals, one bronze, seven World Championship titles, and 20 individual World Cup races in biathlon. In 2023, she became a certified mountain and ski guide and joined a mountain rescue unit. She remained close to the sport as a TV expert for Germany’s ZDF.

A veteran mountaineer, she had long been aware of the risks involved in her pursuits. “Worrying about mountaineering is simply part of this high-risk sport,” her close friend and fellow climber Veronika Schirmer told ZDF. “Sooner or later, the statistics catch up with you. But I trust that she knows what she’s doing.”

In closing their statement, Dahlmeier’s family asked the public and media to respect their privacy “in this difficult time.” “Our shared memories give us strength and courage to carry on.”