(MENAFN) A former Olympic gold medalist has suffered serious injuries after being caught in a rockfall while climbing in Pakistan’s Karakoram mountain range.

The accident took place on Monday when 31-year-old Laura Dahlmeier was struck by falling rocks during a mountaineering expedition. Due to the area’s remote location and severe weather, rescue helicopters were unable to reach her until Tuesday morning.

The search effort was paused on Tuesday evening because of limited visibility and was expected to resume Wednesday morning, according to reports from a German news outlet.

A spokesperson from the local government confirmed that the Pakistan army is actively assisting in the ongoing rescue efforts.

According to a statement from Dahlmeier’s management, "Laura Dahlmeier was climbing with her mountaineering partner on 28 July when she was caught in the rockfall. The accident took place around noon local time at an altitude of approximately 5,700 metres. Her partner immediately called emergency services and a rescue operation began immediately. Due to the remoteness of the area, a helicopter was only able to reach the site of the accident on the morning of 29 July."

Dahlmeier, well known for her achievements in biathlon, represented Germany at two Winter Olympic Games. At Pyeongchang in 2018, she earned two gold medals and a bronze, becoming the first woman to win both the sprint and pursuit events at a single Olympics. In addition to her Olympic success, she claimed 15 medals—seven of them gold—across five World Championships before retiring from competitive sport in 2019 at the age of 25.

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