Biathlon Discussion | Qualification to Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026

[JoshMartini007 2,813]

17 minutes ago, copravolley said:

More or less the same as in Bild. If she survived the fall, it's tragic that she's been left without help for two days with temperatures under 0 at night. If she was located by helicopter, I don't understand why the rescue operation was halted? What are the procedures in Pakistan regarding this?

There are many reasons not to perform a rescue, with too much wind being a common one. It depends where she's located and how much space they have to work with. There are scenarios where a helicopter rescue is impossible and you'd have to go in by foot.

[copravolley 565]

Just now, JoshMartini007 said:

There are many reasons not to perform a rescue, with too much wind being a common one. It depends where she's located and how much space they have to work with. There are scenarios where a helicopter rescue is impossible and you'd have to go in by foot.

Unfortunately, each day of delay reduces the chances of survival In the Alps, rescue operations are easier because there aren`t so many inaccessible places where a helicopter can`t reach aid. That's why I've always been terrified of those great mountains in Asia: the Himalayas and the Karakoram. I wouldn't go there even for a $1 million bonus.

[Monzanator 4,846]

1 hour ago, copravolley said:

More or less the same as in Bild. If she survived the fall, it's tragic that she's been left without help for two days with temperatures under 0 at night. If she was located by helicopter, I don't understand why the rescue operation was halted? What are the procedures in Pakistan regarding this?

Aren't all commercial helicopter flights in Pakistan actually operated by the army personnel (also retired army)? At 5,700 meters the air is so thin only some models can reach it and I assume wind has to play a factor where the helicopter can fly but not really stand still mid-air to lower the rescue equipment?

[copravolley 565]

2 hours ago, Monzanator said:

Aren't all commercial helicopter flights in Pakistan actually operated by the army personnel (also retired army)? At 5,700 meters the air is so thin only some models can reach it and I assume wind has to play a factor where the helicopter can fly but not really stand still mid-air to lower the rescue equipment?

I don`t know but I found one possible positive version on one of the Italian sites, which was not present in these previous sources: 

 

"Secondo un portavoce dei soccorsi, Faizullah Faraq, c'è la possibilità che l'atleta sia stata soccorsa anche da persone che si trovavano vicino al luogo della valanga, nella valle di Hushe"- There is a possibility that the athlete was also rescued by people who were near the site of the avalanche, in the Hushe valley.

 

https://www.corriere.it/sport/25_luglio_29/laura-dahlmeier-biathlon-travolta-frana-pakistan-b51ca0fc-8edc-4280-b9eb-133d73262xlk.shtml

[copravolley 565]

In my opinion, the only hope is that some local people found her in this valley and she's still alive there. But we'll find out tomorrow at the latest whether that's true, because getting to this valley isn't a big event—it's a well-known tourist area and a starting point for Karakorum trial mountains. We'll have to hope for a miracle

 

 

Edited July 30, 2025 by copravolley

[heywoodu 16,279]

10 hours ago, Grassmarket said:

BBC seem more optimistic.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/c4g627p4q0ko

All they did is leave out the part where they said they didn't see any signs of life...rather significant, I'm afraid. 

[Grassmarket 4,156]

1 hour ago, heywoodu said:

All they did is leave out the part where they said they didn't see any signs of life...rather significant, I'm afraid. 

Ok, BBC have an updated story this morning but it is still useless.  This does seem to be the very latest though - there's no chance of a helicopter getting to her and the only way is to send up a team of experienced mountaineers.  That does not sound good at all.  

 

Laura Dahlmeier: Climbers attempt rescue of injured Olympian in Pakistan | Olympics News | Al Jazeera

[copravolley 565]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1924_British_Mount_Everest_expedition

 

The remains of these people were found after almost 100 years Technology has advanced, but as you can see, there is still not much that humans can do in these terrible and high mountains.

 

Laura's boyfriend also reportedly died in the high mountains. It's a shame this didn't stop her from making such dangerous trips, especially to the highest peaks.

Edited July 30, 2025 by copravolley

[copravolley 565]

https://www.bild.de/sport/mehr-sport/laura-dahlmeier-ihr-ex-freund-stuerzte-beim-bergsteigen-in-den-tod-6888c4b5893b255c80db068d

[heywoodu 16,279]

58 minutes ago, Grassmarket said:

Ok, BBC have an updated story this morning but it is still useless.  This does seem to be the very latest though - there's no chance of a helicopter getting to her and the only way is to send up a team of experienced mountaineers.  That does not sound good at all.  

 

Laura Dahlmeier: Climbers attempt rescue of injured Olympian in Pakistan | Olympics News | Al Jazeera

Exactly. The rescue attempt (let's name it that for now) is being led by Thomas Huber, kind of a German legend in alpinism and mountaineering, apparently. Pakistani media have also reported that Dahlmeier managed to communicate with her climbing partner right after the accident, but it's unclear in which sense (shouting, radio, whatever). Also, take it with a grain of salt for now, I fear. Besides, that was now two freezing nights ago.