Updated

GENEVA--Swiss police say an Italian mountaineer has died and another was seriously injured in an attempt to climb the north face of the Matterhorn.

Police say the 42-year-old male climber from Brescia province was killed early Sunday after apparently slipping on an icy incline at an altitude of 12,140 feet.

A statement issued Monday by police in the canton (state) of Valais said his 23-year-old fellow climber was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Switzerland's iconic14,692-feet Matterhorn is a favorite destination for alpinists from around the world.