Famed Swiss climber Ueli Steck was killed on Sunday in a mountaineering accident near Mount Everest in Nepal, expedition organisers said.

Mingma Sherpa of the Seven Summit Treks said Steck was killed at Camp 1 of Mount Nuptse. His body has been recovered from the site and been taken to Lukla, where the only airport in the Mount Everest area is located.

It was not clear how Steck died but he was planning to climb 8,850-metre (29,035-foot) Mount Everest and nearby Mount Lhotse next month.

The 40-year-old Steck was one of the most-renowned mountaineers of his generation.