Felix Baumgartner dead: Austrian stratosphere jumper dies in paragliding crash in Italy aged 56
Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian extreme sports icon best known for his record-breaking stratospheric skydive, has died in a paragliding accident in Italy at the age of 56.
According to Italian authorities, the accident occurred on Thursday afternoon in Porto Sant’Elpidio, a seaside town on the Adriatic coast. Baumgartner reportedly crashed into the outdoor swimming pool of a hotel complex while paragliding.
The Italian fire department and Austria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed his death to the German Press Agency (dpa). Austrian Broadcasting (ORF) reported that Baumgartner lost control of his paraglider due to the sudden onset of illness, citing information from the fire brigade.
A woman was also injured in the crash, according to Italian media reports, but her condition is reported to be stable.
Baumgartner rose to international fame in 2012 when he became the first human to break the sound barrier in free fall in a stunt backed by Red Bull. The jump, from a stratospheric altitude of approximately 39 kilometres, saw him reach speeds of 1,342.8 kilometres per hour.