Robert Fliri, a mountaineer and the inventor of the five-toed climbing shoe, fell to his death while descending a peak in Italy. The 48-year-old lost his footing and plunged nearly 1,000 feet as his companions watched.

Fliri had been making his way down the 10,000-foot-high Punta d'Oberettes ice wall in Val di Mazia, near the Swiss border, on Tuesday. While hiking at around 3,400 meters in altitude, he slipped and disappeared over the edge, falling more than 300 meters (984 feet), reports Daily Mail.

His two companions immediately called for help when they lost sight of him. Mountain rescue teams arrived with a helicopter and located Fliri’s body in a remote area. He was transported to a hospital in Malles and was pronounced dead. 

Benno Simma, an Italian designer and artist, described Fliri as a "brilliant designer and enthusiastic climber." He added, "Now you continue to walk in the endless celestial pastures."

Fliri was best known as the creator of the FiveFingers shoes, which mimic the experience of walking barefoot. He developed the idea while still a student and later partnered with Vibram, which now sells the unique footwear for $130.

In a past interview with Italian media, Fliri shared that his love for walking barefoot came from growing up in the mountains. He worked on developing the shoe concept starting in 1999 before bringing it to market in 2006.

The brand gained widespread popularity, especially in the United States, after Time magazine named FiveFingers one of the best inventions of 2007.