They turned back short of the summit because of safety concerns, but their timing was unlucky. Dahlmeier was rappelling when a big rock fatally struck her.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier of Germany has died at the age of 31 in a climbing accident, her team announced in an Instagram post.

Laura Dahlmeier, a trailblazer in biathlon and one of Germany's most decorated winter athletes, has died at 31 after a rockfall struck her during a climbing expedition on Laila Peak in northern Pakistan's Karakoram range. Her death has caused widespread shock and sorrow in the global sports and mountaineering communities.