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.

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 government spokesman said Wednesday.

German biathlete and two-time Olympic gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier died Monday in a climbing accident. She was 31. Dahlmeier's death was confirmed by her team in a post on Instagram. The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) also confirmed Dahlmeier's death in a statement to CNN.