A German mountaineer fell to his death while descending Mount Cho Oyu in Tibet on Tuesday, a source with the China Tibet Mountaineering Association said Friday.

The man stumbled at an altitude of 7,800 meters and slid about 70 meters before hitting his head on a rock. He then fell into an ice chasm, said Zhang Mingxing, secretary-general of the association.

The association had notified the German embassy in Beijing of the accident, Zhang said. However, local police and embassy officials were not available Friday evening to identify the man's name.

He was with a seven-member German climbing team that is still on the mountain, Zhang said. His colleagues could not be contacted for comment.

Mount Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world which rises to 8,201 meters, is located near Mount Qomolangma (Mount Everest) at the center of the Himalayas.

Several hundred mountaineers in more than 30 expeditions from 10 countries are presently climbing in Tibet, said Zhang.

The association had warned of severe weather and asked them to strengthen safety precautions, he added.

(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2006)