Correction Appended

Arne Naess Jr., a Norwegian shipping magnate and the former husband of the singer Diana Ross, fell to his death while climbing in the mountains near Cape Town, a police official said Wednesday. He was 66.

Mr. Naess was climbing in the Groot Drakenstein mountains, about 44 miles from Cape Town, when he apparently slipped about midday on Tuesday, a police spokeswoman, Mary Martins-Engelbrecht, said.

Mr. Naess was climbing on his own, without much protective gear, just ropes and a harness, Ms. Martins-Engelbrecht said, when he apparently slipped and fell about 320 feet to his death. No foul play was suspected.

Mr. Naess was visiting Johan Rupert, son of the South African businessman Anton Rupert, who was waiting at the base of the mountain for him when the accident happened.