BERN, Switzerland, April 29 (UPI) -- Swiss climber Erhard Loretan died after a 600-foot fall while guiding a client up a mountain in the Bernese Alps, officials said.
The other climber was seriously injured.
Loretan, one of the few climbers to ascend all of the world's 14 peaks over 8,000 meters (more than 24,000 feet), died Thursday on his 52nd birthday, PlanetSKI.eu reported.
The details of the accident weren't available but a report from the Cantonal police said Loretan and his 38-year-old female client fell about 600 feet as they neared the summit of Grunhorn mountain.
Loretan's climbing career is noteworthy on several fronts but was marred by a family tragedy, the report said.
He was convicted of manslaughter in 1981 after shaking his son to death.
Loretan reportedly told authorities that he shook the boy to get him to stop crying and then put him to bed. When something appeared wrong he called an ambulance.
He received a suspended sentence.
