The managing director of McDonald's Switzerland has been killed in a mountain bike accident in the Swiss Alps.

Martin Knoll, a 51-year-old Austrian, was touring in a group when he lost his balance and plunged about 50 metres in the Engstlenalp area in canton Bern, the company's website announced on Sunday.

His body had to be recovered by helicopter after the accident, which occurred on Friday.

The area of the accident is popular with mountain bikers but police describe it as "challenging". On the exposed stretch where Knoll fell, notices advise bikers to dismount.

Knoll had been with McDonald's since 1993 and headed the business in Switzerland and Liechtenstein since 2003.

swissinfo.ch and agencies

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